5 December 2024
Thank you, Mr. President.
First, I would like to thank Ms. Izumi NAKAMITSU the High Representative for Disarmament, for her detailed and objective briefing. I also took note of the statement by Mr. Nidal Shikhani, Director General of the CVDCS.
Mr. President,
The use of chemical weapons should never be tolerated anywhere, at any time, by anyone, under any circumstance.
Japan commends the professional and impartial work by the OPCW.
Japan strongly opposes any attempts to undermine their authority and invaluable work.
It is truly regrettable that we have not witnessed tangible progress on the Syria chemical weapons file since our last meeting.
The OPCW Director-General’s recent monthly reports have once again highlighted concerns regarding Syria’s actions.
Notably, there remain 19 outstanding issues that require resolution. We emphasize the urgency of addressing these matters and call upon Syria to engage sincerely in resolving these issues.
According to the recent monthly reports of the OPCW, the outstanding issues involve large quantities of chemical warfare agents and munitions. Due to the lack of declaration by Syria, the OPCW cannot fully verify Syria’s past activities.
Once again, we express our deep concern regarding the persistent contradictions, gaps, and inconsistencies in Syria’s initial and subsequent declarations.
These concerns have been reaffirmed in the latest report by the OPCW Director-General. In this regard, Syria must comply and faithfully execute its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and Security Council resolution 2118.
Mr. President,
Japan firmly believes that preventing the recurrence of chemical weapons use in Syria must remain a priority for the Security Council.
We would like to emphasize that addressing these issues step by step is crucial for maintaining and strengthening the norms against the possession and use of chemical weapons.
Thank you.