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Chinese envoy calls for objective, just and professional investigation into chemical weapons in Syria

Xinhua, August 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Friday urged objective, just and professional investigation on the use of chemical weapons in Syria after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on the issue Friday.

"We support objective, just and professional investigation on this incident and bring perpetrators to justice when there is hard evidence," said Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, after the adoption of the resolution to set up an investigative mechanism to identify the perpetrators of deadly chlorine gas attacks in Syria.

"China welcomes the council's unanimous adoption of resolution. China's position on chemical weapons is clear and consistent. We resolutely oppose the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances," said Liu. "We express our concern on the incident of using chlorine gas as a weapon within Syria, an incident verified by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)."

The Chinese diplomat also stressed it is necessary to respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria in the process.

The 15-member council reiterates in the resolution that no party in Syria should use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, retain, or transfer chemical weapons.

According to the resolution, within 20 days of adoption, the UN Secretary-General and the Director-General of the OPCW should submit to the Security Council recommendations for the establishment and operation of a UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism to identify the perpetrators.

A political settlement is the only way out to resolve this Syrian issue. The international community, especially the Security Council, should stay the course and not waver in the direction of a political settlement, said Liu.

China hopes that the resolution, as has been unanimously adopted by the council, will be conducive to forging a consensus of the council on the Syrian issue and giving new impetus to a comprehensive, enduring and proper settlement of the issue through political means at an early date, said Liu.

The resolution is the most significant action by the council on the chemical weapons issue in Syria since President Bashar al- Assad's government joined the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013. Endite