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Remarks by Counselor Xing Jisheng at the UN Security Council Briefing on Chemical Weapon Issue in Syria

2022-02-28 11:48

Mr. President, 

I thank High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing. China has taken note of the monthly report on chemical weapons in Syria submitted by the Director-General of the OPCW, as well as the two recent reports submitted by the fact-finding team (FFM). 

The investigation and handling of the alleged use of chemical weapons must strictly follow the requirements of the CWC, respect science and facts, and ensure procedural compliance, reliable evidence and credible conclusions. There are still many doubts regarding the sources of information, working method, and the completion of the chain of evidence of the FFM Douma report . So far they are yet to be clarified. This will invariably affect the credibility of the work of the FFM. China calls for maintaining the technical attributes of the OPCW, and avoid the politicization of its work. In recent years, some countries have repeatedly pushed for a vote, which seriously undermined the authority and effectiveness of the OPCW. China calls on the Director-General to play an active role in promoting dialogue among states parties, returning to the tradition of making decisions by consensus, and avoiding going further down the road of disagreement. The OPCW should not be used as a tool for pursuing geopolitical goals. 

Mr. President, 

Syria has repeatedly expressed its willingness to cooperate with the Technical Secretariat, and its constructive attitude deserves recognition. The Technical Secretariat should take an equally constructive approach, and be flexible on some of the details. We hope that the two sides will hold the 25th round of technical consultations as soon as possible to promote the settlement of outstanding issues and maintain communication on issues such as the inspections of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center and the in-person meeting between the Director-General and the Syrian Foreign Minister. Since 2017, the Syrian Government has repeatedly provided the Technical Secretariat with information on the possession and use of chemical weapons by the terrorist groups. This merits the attention from the Secretariat. 

In conclusion, I would like to point out that with limited resources and busy schedule at the Council, China strongly suggests reducing the frequency of consideration on the Syrian issues or considering combining them for joint consideration. This will not only help deal with the Syrian issues from a holistic perspective, but also improve the efficiency of the Council. 

Thank you, Mr. President.

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