7815th Security Council Meeting: Situation in Middle East

Unanimously adopting resolution 2319 (2016), the Security Council extends the mandate of the mechanism to identify perpetrators using chemical weapons in Syria, at 7815th meeting.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 00:32:46
• Production Date: 17 November 2016
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Corporate Name: ORGANISATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS - OPCW
• Subject Topical: CHEMICAL WEAPONS; CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 1778140
• Parent Id: 1777168

Description

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations-Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Joint Investigative Mechanism, the body mandated to determine responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, for an additional year.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2319 (2016), the Council maintained the previous mandate of the Mechanism without significant changes, following a 31 October extension for almost three weeks, that allowed an opportunity to reconsider the scope of its work (see Press Release SC/12571).

In today’s text, the focus of the Mechanism’s investigations was kept solely on Syria, as before. However, the Council also encouraged the Mechanism to engage relevant regional States in pursuit of its mandate, including for the purpose of identifying any involvement of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Al-Nusrah Front or other non-State actors in the use of chemicals as weapons in Syria. The Council further encouraged the Mechanism to consult, as appropriate, with the 1540 Committee on non-proliferation and the Al-Qaida/ISIL Sanctions Committee.

Following the vote, the representative of the United States noted that the Joint Investigative Mechanism’s work was not complete and must continue; it was the only body given the mandate to identify those involved in the use of chemicals as weapons. If the Council had failed to extend it, it would have been wilfully blinded about who was responsible for those crimes.

She added that evidence suggested the Mechanism was dissuading actors from using chemical weapons. Even if the Mechanism made a small impact, it would save lives and establish a crucial global norm. The Council’s responsibilities did not end with knowledge of the facts, she pointed out, stressing that Members also need to work together to ensure that those who used such weapons faced consequences.

The Russian Federation’s representative also encouraged all to set aside political differences and join forces to eradicate the devastating phenomenon of chemical weapons. However, he underscored that the Mechanism’s mandate must be carried out in an impartial and objective manner. Among other things, he voiced his regret that the Russian Federation’s several initiatives had been repeatedly blocked by some countries.

China’s representative, on the other hand, lauded the resolution’s positive elements, such as the provision that the Mechanism would give more attention to the use of chemical weapons by non-State actors and strengthen the exchange of information with Syria’s neighbouring countries. He expressed hope that the Council would continue to unite on the matter, play a positive role in eliminating the use of such weapons in Syria, and move toward a comprehensive and durable solution to the conflict.

Also speaking today were representatives of France, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Japan and Egypt.

The meeting began at 9 p.m. and ended at 9:30 p.m.