OPCW Executive Council votes to condemn the use of VX nerve agent in recent Malaysian airport attack

The Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently adopted a decision to condemn the use of the Schedule 1 liquid nerve agent VX, which was used in a fatal incident last month at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The incident occurred on Feb. 13 as Kim Jong-nam, half-brother to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was killed with the use of a liquid VX nerve agent at the airport. Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed its use in the attack on March 3.

On March 7, Malaysia’s permanent representative to the OPCW made a statement to the organization and provided pertinent details into the Malaysian government’s investigation and response to the incident.

OPCW Director-General, Ahmet Üzümcü, offered his technical assistance upon request in support of the investigation.

The Executive Council expressly condemned the use of any chemical weapon by any actor under any circumstances and called for those responsible in the incident to held accountable in a court of law.

The Executive Council is the executive body of the OPCW and consists of 41 members from five regional groups and works to effectively implement all provisions of the chemical weapons convention.

Approximately 95 percent of all chemical weapons declared by OPCW member states have been destroyed under the organization’s verification since its inception.