Secretary-General, Deeply Disturbed by Ongoing Reports of Chemical Weapons Use in Syria, Recalls Security Council Text Stating This Will Not Be Tolerated

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The continuing reports of the use of chemical weapons, as well as the use of toxic chemicals as a weapon in the Syrian conflict are deeply disturbing.  The Secretary-General strongly condemns any such use by any party to the conflict.

He reiterates that resolution 2235 (2015), which was unanimously adopted by the Security Council earlier this month, is a strong collective message from the international community that any such use shall not be tolerated and will have consequences.  The international community has a responsibility to hold the perpetrators accountable and to ensure that chemical weapons never be used again as an instrument of warfare.

Pursuant to resolution 2235 (2015), the Secretary-General, in coordination with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Director-General, today submitted to the Security Council the requested recommendations, including elements of Terms of Reference, on the OPCW–UN Joint Investigative Mechanism to be established by the resolution on the use of chemicals as weapons, including chlorine or any other toxic chemical, in the Syrian Arab Republic.

The Secretary-General calls on all parties in the Syrian Arab Republic to cooperate fully with the Joint Investigative Mechanism.  He counts on the continued engagement and support of the members of the Security Council, as well as the entire United Nations membership to ensure the effective implementation of this resolution.