Secretary-General Welcomes Security Council Follow-Up to Resolution 2235 (2015), Reiterating Call for Parties in Syria to Support Joint Investigative Body

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the authorisation by the Security Council of the Secretary-General’s recommendations to establish and operate the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons–United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism.

It underlines once again the importance of addressing the use of toxic chemicals as weapons, and the need for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

The Secretary-General, in close coordination with the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and all other relevant parties, shall, without delay, undertake all steps, measures and arrangements necessary for the speedy establishment and full functioning of the Joint Investigative Mechanism.

The Secretary-General reiterates the call 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.