Secretary-General Expresses Regret over Security Council Failure to Reach Agreement on Reported Chemical Weapons Use in Syria

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

Yesterday, I expressed my outrage at the reports of continued use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic.  I have also been closely following developments in the Security Council and regret that the Council has so far been unable to reach agreement on this issue.

Today, I called the Ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council to reiterate my deep concern about the risks of the current impasse and stressed the need to avoid the situation spiralling out of control.

Let us not forget that, ultimately, our efforts must be about ending the terrible suffering of the Syrian people.