Thank you, Mr. President,

Let me start by congratulating Slovenia on assuming the Presidency of the Security Council for this important month of the year.

We thank Director Ebo for his comprehensive briefing.

Last month marked the 11th anniversary of the chemical weapons attack in the Ghouta area of Damascus.

Ghouta was neither the first nor the last of the chemical weapons attacks in Syria, which caused the death and injury of so many innocent civilian lives.

The repeated use of chemical weapons in Syria caused some of the worst suffering of the 14-year conflict.

Whether by the Syrian regime or the terrorist organization DAESH, the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable under any circumstances.

Impunity is equally unacceptable.

In the current volatile circumstances on the ground, the risks of chemical weapons falling into the hands of the terrorist organizations in Syria are clear.

It is essential to prevent the recurrence of chemical weapons use in Syria and ensure accountability for past incidents.

Achieving these objectives necessitates the complete elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons program as well as effective cooperation with the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team, Fact Finding Mission and Investigation and Identification Team.

In its unanimously adopted Resolution 2118, this Council determined that any use of chemical weapons constitute a threat to international peace and security; and endorsed the expeditious destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons programme and stringent verification procedures.

As such, the Council has a primary responsibility. Its continued engagement on this file and its unified support to the work of the OPCW are required.

Mr. President,

We are concerned about the lack of progress as reported by the OPCW in clarifying all outstanding issues regarding the declarations submitted by the Syrian regime.

Furthermore, after more than a decade since Syria’s ratification of the Chemical Weapon’s Convention, the emergence of previously undeclared elements of its chemical weapons programme as well as the opening of new outstanding issues are deeply worrying.

We urge the Syrian regime to unconditionally fulfill all its obligations arising from the Chemical Weapons Convention. The regime must fully disclose its chemical weapons program in a transparent manner; and stop any active programs.

We also call on Syria to fully and without delay comply with the guidance of the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team and unconditionally allow the work of the Fact-Finding Mission and Investigation and Identification Team.

To conclude, Mr. President, it is a collective duty to ensure accountability and honour the innocent lives lost due to the chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

Thank you.