UN / SYRIA CHEMICAL WEAPONS

Calling for unity in the UN Security Council in order “to reestablish the norm against chemical weapons” in Syria, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said “there is an urgent need, not only to identify, but hold accountable, all those who have used chemical weapons in violation of international law.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:26
• Production Date: 3 June 2021
• Asset Language: Arabic; English
• Personal Subject: FERNANDO ARIAS SALGADO; IZUMI NAKAMITSU
• Corporate Name: ORGANISATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS - OPCW
• Subject Topical: CHEMICAL WEAPONS
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 2625579
• Parent Id: 2625579
• Alternate Title: unifeed210603a

Description

STORY: UN / SYRIA CHEMICAL WEAPONS
TRT: 2:26
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /ARABIC /NATS

DATELINE: 3 JUNE 2021, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE

1.Exterior shot, UN Headquarters

3 JUNE 2021, NEW YORK CITY

2.Wide shot, Security Council Hall with Arias on screen
3.SOUNDBITE (English) Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs:
“Due to the identified gaps in consistencies, and discrepancies that remain unresolved, the OPCW Technical Secretariat continues to assess that, at this stage, the declaration submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic cannot be considered accurate and complete, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
4.Cutaway, Syrian and Iranian delegates at the SC table
5.SOUNDBITE (English) Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs:
“There is an urgent need, not only to identify, but hold accountable, all those who have used chemical weapons in violation of international law. It is an obligation on all of us. Without such an action, we are allowing the use of chemical weapons to take place with impunity. Unity in the Security Council is required to reestablish the norm against chemical weapons.”
6.Wide shot, delegates at the table and Arias on screen above them
7.SOUNDBITE (English) Fernando Arias, Director-General, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW):
“The fact-finding mission continues to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria. To date, the fact-finding mission has investigated 77 allegations - 77 already - of chemical weapons use and determined 17 cases of likely or confirmed, use of chemical weapons in Syria.”
8.Wide shot, delegates at the SC table
9.SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bassam al-Sabbagh, Permanent Representative of Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations:
“Finding traces of a chemical agent in a test sample is not evidence of a prohibited chemical activity. The continuation of technical consultations on such issues requires refraining from prejudgment or jumping to unrealistic conclusions or false perceptions. In light of the aforementioned, we categorically reject the insistence of some who question Syria’s initial declaration, or its cooperation with the technical Secretariat and deliberate disregard of any progress achieved.”
10.Wide shot, Security Council Hall with Arias on screen

Storyline

Calling for unity in the UN Security Council in order “to reestablish the norm against chemical weapons” in Syria, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said “there is an urgent need, not only to identify, but hold accountable, all those who have used chemical weapons in violation of international law.”

Nakamit‏su was briefing the Security Council during a regular monthly meeting on the implementation of Council’s resolution 2118, requiring the verification and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles.

The High Representative echoed previous OPCW’s assessment that “due to the identified gaps in consistencies, and discrepancies that remain unresolved, the OPCW Technical Secretariat continues to assess that, at this stage, the declaration submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic cannot be considered accurate and complete, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.”

Speaking at the Security Council meeting via videolink, Fernando Arias, Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) briefed the members on the fact-finding mission tasked with establishing “facts surrounding allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria.”

“To date, the fact-finding mission has investigated 77 allegations - 77 already - of chemical weapons use and determined 17 cases of likely or confirmed, use of chemical weapons in Syria,” said Arias.

The Permanent Representative of Syria, Bassam al-Sabbagh said his country “categorically reject” the OPCW’s assessment of the Syria’s initial declaration.

“Finding traces of a chemical agent in a test sample is not evidence of a prohibited chemical activity,” al-Sabbagh said. “The continuation of technical consultations on such issues requires refraining from prejudgment or jumping to unrealistic conclusions or false perceptions,” he said.