Delivered by Permanent Representative of Estonia to UN Mr. Sven Jürgenson
I thank the High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing.
Estonia welcomes the release of the first report of the IIT, which presents another important contribution to fighting impunity for the use of chemical weapons. The IIT’s thorough, professional and independent investigation has identified the Syrian Arab Air Force for using nerve gas sarin and chlorin in three attacks in the town of Ltamenah in March 2017. We fully support the report’s findings and strongly condemn the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
The use of chemical weapons cannot be tolerated. Those responsible must be held accountable. Without accountability, the atrocities will continue. If not by the Syrian regime, then by others emboldened by the ability to use these horrendous weapons to hold onto power. We, therefore, call on the States Parties of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Security Council to act decisively and in a united manner to respond to the findings of this report.
We continue to call on Syria to fully cooperate with the OPCW Technical Secretariat as required under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Security Council resolution 2118. It is regretful that there was a complete lack of cooperation from the Syrian part regarding the IIT investigation. The team was refused access to the Syrian territory as well as to the relevant files and information in a blatant attempt to undermine its work.
Finally, the OPCW Director-General’s monthly report, once again, states that outstanding issues remain in relation to the Syria chemical weapons Declaration. That means that, again, we cannot be certain that Syria has destroyed all of its chemical weapons and their production facilities. We also cannot be certain that the Assad regime will not use again chemical weapons against its own people. The attacks in Ltamenah are, in fact, much to the point: they occurred after the regime had formally renounced chemical weapons and declared that all its stockpiles were destroyed. ‘
Thank you Mr. President!
