Use of chemical weapons, under any circumstances, unjustifiable and abhorrent – UN

Alarmed at persistent reports of chemical weapons use in Syria, the United Nations Secretary-General has called on the Security Council to demonstrate unity and resolve in response to bringing to justice those who use.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, Secretary-General António Guterres expressed that the use of chemical weapons, under any circumstances, is unjustifiable and abhorrent.

“Equally unjustifiable is a lack of response to such use, if and when it occurs. Impunity cannot prevail with respect to such serious crimes,” he added.

The statement follows a meeting on 20 March, between Mr. Guterres and Ahmet Üzümcü, the Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

During the meeting UN chief reiterated his support for OPCW’s work in investigating allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as well as his confidence in its integrity and expertise as well as in that of its Fact-Finding Mission and its conclusions.

The OPCW is an international organization which works closely with the UN to implement the Convention against Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and eliminate the use of chemical weapons as well as the threat of their use.