Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you Madam President.
New Zealand was pleased to support and co-sponsor the resolution we have just adopted. Chemical weapons are an appalling weapon. The international community showed its revulsion of these weapons and its determination to stamp them out in the negotiation and adoption of the chemical weapons convention.
Resolution 2118 was a highly important step by this council in responding to reports confirming the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The Syrian regime’s acceptance of that resolution and its decision, albeit belatedly, to join the chemical weapons convention and cooperate in the destruction of its chemical weapon stocks were welcome. A major international effort, led by the OPCW, has been underway to remove and destroy those weapons.
Yet still reports have continued to come out of Syria, that chemical weapons continue to be used. This is monstrous even in the context of that thoroughly horrible conflict. Accordingly, it is right and proper that this Council has now adopted a mechanism to enable the identification of those responsible and to hold them to account.
Those that use and authorise use of such weapons, must be held to account for their dreadful deeds. We welcome agreement on this text as an all-too-rare example of collective Council action on the Syrian conflict. We hope the spirit of cooperation that underlies this resolution will imbue the Council’s efforts to address and resolve the wider Syrian conflict.
I thank you.