Chinese envoy warns against politicization of OPCW work

A Chinese envoy on Monday warned against the politicization of the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The investigation and handling of the alleged use of chemical weapons must strictly follow the requirements of the Chemical Weapons Convention, respect science and facts, and ensure procedural compliance, reliable evidence and credible conclusions, said Counselor Xing Jisheng of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

There are still many doubts over the sources of information, working method and the completion of the chain of evidence of the report of the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on alleged chemical weapons use in Douma, Syria. So far the doubts are yet to be clarified. This will invariably affect the credibility of the work of the FFM, he told the Security Council.

"China calls for maintaining the technical attributes of the OPCW, and avoiding the politicization of its work," he said.

In recent years, some countries have repeatedly pushed for a vote in the absence of consensus, seriously undermining 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 division. The OPCW should not be used as a tool for pursuing geopolitical goals, said Xing.

Syria has repeatedly expressed its willingness to cooperate with the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW, and its constructive attitude deserves recognition. The Technical Secretariat should take an equally constructive approach and be flexible, he said. "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 terrorist groups. This merits the attention of the Technical Secretariat, said Xing.

Given the limited resources and busy schedule of the Security Council, China strongly suggests reducing the frequency of briefings on Syria or combining the different issues 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, he said.