Vietnam chairs UNSC briefing on chemical weapons in Syria

UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu briefed delegates on the latest monthly report by the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), saying all the OPCW technical Secretariat’s field activities in Syria have been delayed due to local COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

The OPCW Secretariat, she said, is currently working closely with Syria to address the discrepancies in the country’s initial report as required by the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Convention.

UNSC delegates expressed deep concerns about the use of chemical weapons and called for closer cooperation to deal with and prevent the behaviour.  

Addressing the event, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, reiterated Vietnam’s stance on condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, while emphasizing the need to respect and fully abide by the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Convention, aiming to totally eliminate such weapons.

He suggested that the OPCW Secretariat and Syria strengthen technical cooperation and dialogue in a constructive manner. He also called for stronger cooperation and unity at the UNSC as well as at the upcoming 25th conference of the State Parties to the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Convention slated for April 20-22 in the Hague, the Netherlands.

Vietnam, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021, is assuming the presidency of the UNSC for April 2021.