Assad must comply with UN Resolution 2118 – US
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The “Syrian regime” must comply with its obligations under the UN Resolution No. 2118 as the Security Council must seek accountability for al-Assad’s heinous action against his people, United States deputy ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday.
US deputy ambassador to the UN, Richard Mills, made his remarks in a briefing on chemical weapons use in Syria at the UN Security Council.
Mills said the council “must” respond to findings by the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and the Coordinator of the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) on the chemical weapons attack on Douma in 2018.
On Jan. 27, the IIT of the OPCW said in a report there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that the Air Forces of the Syrian government were the perpetrators of the chemical weapons attack on 7 April of 2018 in Douma in Rif Dimasq Governorate, southern Syria.
Mills urged the council to adopt steps towards the implementation of the UN Resolution No. 2118 and hold the Syrian “regime” accountable for such “heinous actions.”
On Sep. 2013, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2118 on the use of chemical weapons by the “regime” in Eastern Ghouta.
On Sep. 14, 2013, the Syrian government deposited its instrument of accession with the United Nations Secretary-General to become State Party to Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.
He stressed that the Syrian government has failed to “account for” its chemical weapons stockpile and production facilities and to completely destroy the weapons.
He highlighted the need for the Syrian government to “permit” the return of the OPCW Declaration and Assessment Team to Syria without any delay.
The OPCW and the UN have revealed the Syrian government’s involvement in nine chemical weapons attacks against Syrians, according to the US deputy ambassador to the UN, who called on other nations to take measures similar to those the US takes against the Syrian government and refrain from “normalizing relations” with it.
He stressed the US’ ongoing efforts in supporting investigations on “violations and abuses in Syria” with no impunity for chemical weapons use.