United Nations Security Council extends investigative mechanism on chemical weapons in Syria

The United Nations Security Council on Monday voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations-Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) joint investigative mechanism, the entity mandated to determine responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, until Nov. 18.

Resolution 2314 (2016) was unanimously adopted by the 15-nation council. The council said it would consider a further extension before the two-week extension expired.

Following the resolution’s adoption, the council members expressed concerns regarding recent allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria and debated the matter of the mechanism’s scope and a possible extension of the resolution.

Matthew Rycroft of the United Kingdom said it was important to keep the mechanism because it was not only sufficient to determine whether the attacks had occurred, but who actually perpetrated the attacks in the first place.

Michele Sison of the United States said that the mechanism should remain focused on Syria and emphasized that the mechanism filled a gap in the international investigation into the use of chemical weapons, citing a reduction in attacks since the mechanism’s creation.

While many of the members expressed approval of the current scope of the mechanism, Vitaly Churkin of Russia said that the threat of chemical weapons use could only be dealt with if the mechanism were given a greater regional scope.