Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, chairs a UNSC open VTC on chemical weapons in Syria. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam condemns the use of chemical weapons which is a flagrant violation of international law and presents an immediate threat to the lives and living environment of civilians, he said while chairing a UNSC open video-teleconference (VTC) on the situation and chemical weapon issue in Syria.

Quy emphasized the importance to fully implement the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to achieve the goal of ridding the world of chemical weapons.

He encouraged the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Syrian authority to enhance cooperation in the most earnest and constructive manner in order to fully address the remaining issues and work towards the full implementation of the CWC and Resolution 2118 on the elimination of the chemical weapons programme of Syria.

The Vietnamese diplomat also called for a constructive and non-politicized engagement of all parties so as to achieve a lasting solution to this issue, including at the 25th session of the Conference of the State Parties to the CWC to be resumed later this month.

In her remarks at the event, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said the Office for Disarmament Affairs has continued to maintain regular contact with counterparts at the OPCW on its activities related to this matter.

She highlighted the ongoing efforts to clarify the remaining outstanding issues regarding the initial declaration of Syria to the OPCW, saying the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team and the Syrian National Authority held the 24th round of consultations in February, during which they conducted technical meetings and interviews regarding the outstanding issues.

Vietnam holds the rotating presidency of UNSC in April. 

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