Italy welcomes the first report of the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team, and is deeply concerned by its findings on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Air Force. Italy condemns in the strongest terms all use of chemical weapons – especially against civilians – and calls for those identified responsible to be held accountable for the acts described in the report.
Italy reiterates its support to the implementation of the Convention for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and calls upon all State Parties to the Convention, as well as the wider International Community, to ensure that all violation of the Convention receives adequate response. Italy is confident that the OPCW Executive Council – which Italy has been chairing for almost a year now – will be able to thoroughly assess compliance with the Convention in light of the IIT report’s findings as soon as feasible, and to take any necessary action accordingly.
Italy once again expresses its full support to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and to its Technical Secretariat, and remains committed to safeguarding the viability, the integrity and the credibility of the Organization and of all of its bodies.
