Statement [Made on Behalf of the Security Council, at the 8673rd Meeting, 22 Nov. 2019, in Connection with the Council's Consideration of the Item Entitled "Maintenance of International Peace and Security"]

S/PRST/2019/14View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, under agenda item X Maintenance of international peace and security, published in 2019.

What subjects does this mandate have?

2 subjects

Chemical Weapons Use Coordination Within UN System

What’s in this document?

10 paragraphs

At the 8673rd meeting of the Security Council, held on 22 November 2019, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “Maintenance of international peace and security”, the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:

“The Security Council welcomes, in furtherance of the continuing cooperation between the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the attendance and briefing by the Director-General of the OPCW to the Security Council on 5 November 2019 under the agenda item “the situation in the Middle East”.

“The Security Council recalls its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirms that the proliferation of chemical weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security.

“The Security Council reaffirms its strong support for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (“the Convention”) and for the work of the OPCW in accordance with the Convention, and stresses the importance of implementation of the Convention, which bans an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, seeks the complete elimination of chemical weapons and prohibits their use.

“The Security Council emphasises that the universality of the Convention is essential to achieving its object and purpose and to enhancing the security of States parties, as well as to international peace and security; and underlines the fact that the objectives of the Convention will not be fully realised as long as there remains even a single State not party to the Convention that could possess or acquire such weapons, and calls upon all States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Convention without delay.

“The Security Council reaffirms that the use of chemical weapons constitutes a violation of international law and condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons, emphasising that any use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anyone, under any circumstance is unacceptable and a threat to international peace and security.

“The Security Council expresses its strong conviction that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons should be held accountable.

“The Security Council strongly supports the efforts of the OPCW to achieve the object and purpose of the Convention and to ensure the full implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of compliance with it, and to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among States parties.

“The Security Council urges all States parties to the Convention to meet in full and on time their obligations under the Convention and to support the OPCW in its implementation activities.

“The Security Council welcomes the continuing cooperation between the United Nations and the OPCW within the framework of the relationship agreement between the UN and OPCW, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.”

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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