Syria: Statement by the High Representative on the 3rd report of the OPCW investigation and identification team

The European Union welcomes Friday’s release of the third report of the Investigation and Identification Team to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and to the Secretary General of the United Nations. The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that on 7 April 2018 in the Syrian town Douma, the Syrian Arab Air Force used chlorine during a military attack, killing 43 persons and affecting dozens more.

The EU strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Army, as concluded by the report. Its findings further confirm the systematic failure of the Syrian regime to comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013). The Investigation and Identification Team’s professional reporting is an important contribution to efforts to end impunity for the use of chemical weapons.

The use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, at any time and under any circumstances is a violation of international law and can amount to the most serious of international crimes - war crimes and crimes against humanity. Those identified responsible for these reprehensible acts must and will be held accountable.

The European Union and its Member States will continue to work on national and international levels addressing chemical weapons attacks and other atrocity crimes committed by the Syrian regime.

The EU reiterates its full support to the OPCW and underlines the complementarity of its work with the United Nations. We have full confidence in the objectivity, impartiality and independence of the Organisation’s Technical Secretariat and its Investigation and Identification Team.

بيان الممثل الأعلى حول التقرير الثالث لفريق التحقيق في منظمة حظر الأسلحة الكيميائية، الذي خلص إلى استخدام سلاح الجو السوري الكلور في دوما في 7 نيسان/ أبريل 2018، ويدين استخدام جيش النظام السوري الأسلحة الكيميائية.