The European Union assured this Friday that the resurgence of the use of chemical weapons in recent years constitutes “one of the most serious threats to peace and security”, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Weapons Chemistry, which took place on April 29, 1997.
The event comes at a time of international concern over the possible use of chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine.
“Since (the Chemical Weapons Convention) came into force, 99% of the world’s declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been verifiably destroyed under the control of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons,” he declared in a statement. communicated the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Borrellon behalf of the Twenty-Seven.
“However, despite tangible progress, the resurgence of the use of chemical weapons is one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” added the Spanish politician.
In that sense, he recalled that “in recent years” chemical weapons have been used in the war in Syria or to try to assassinate the Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, in 2020 with the toxic agent Novichok in Russia.
Borrell also mentioned the death of Kim Jong-nam, the older brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who was assassinated in 2017 in Malaysia, and the 2018 poisoning in the UK of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
The head of community diplomacy reiterated the “deep concern” of the Union over the fact that Russia “has not yet reacted to international requests to cooperate fully with the OPCW in order to guarantee an impartial international investigation into the attempt to assassinate the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
“The poisoning of Mr. Nalvany in Russia with a military chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group in August 2020 (a substance developed by Russia) has been confirmed, beyond any doubt, by specialized laboratories in Germany, France and Sweden, as well as by the OPCW. The European Union has condemned the poisoning in the strongest possible terms,’ he asserted.
The Spanish politician also stressed the “strong condemnation” of the Union regarding the “use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Republic and its non-compliance with the international obligations incumbent upon it by virtue of the Convention, such as This is demonstrated by the exhaustive and thorough investigations carried out by the United Nations and the OPCW.”
He added that the EU and its member states “will continue to work at the national and international levels to address chemical weapons attacks and other atrocities committed in the Syrian Arab Republic.”
“The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, at any time and under any circumstance constitutes a violation of International Law and can amount to the most serious crimes of international concern: war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he stressed. former Spanish minister.
He also indicated that the community club supports “collective efforts to ensure accountability for perpetrators of chemical attacks through the International Alliance Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons.”
“Impunity for the use of chemical weapons should not and will not be tolerated. Under its chemical weapons sanctions regime, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against multiple Russian and Syrian individuals and entities for their involvement in chemical weapons attacks,” Borrell noted.
He noted that the OPCW’s “diligence, professionalism and impartiality” in addressing the use of chemical weapons “is a vital first step towards accountability and an end to impunity.”
“Any use of chemical weapons is an affront to International Law on which we all depend for our security and well-being,” warned Borrell.
He recalled that with 193 States parties, the Chemical Weapons Convention today “enshrines the international norm against the use of chemical weapons.”
