A/RES/77/73 GA

United Nations A/RES/77/73 General Assembly Distr.: General 15 December 2022 22-28169 (E) 201222 *2228169* Seventy-seventh session Agenda item 99 (l) General and complete disarmament: implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2022 [on the report of the First Committee (A/77/385, para. 110)] 77/73. Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction The General Assembly, Recalling its previous resolutions on the subject of chemical weapons, in particular resolution 76/29 of 6 December 2021, Determined to achieve the effective prohibition of the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their destruction, Honouring the memory of and paying tribute to all victims of chemical weapons, Reaffirming its strong support for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction1 and for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and its deep appreciation of the Organisation, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2013 for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons, Recalling decisions C-24/DEC.4 and C-24/DEC.5 of 27 November 2019 adopted by the Conference of the States Parties at its twenty-fourth session, introducing changes to schedules 1 (A) and 1, respectively, of the Annex on Chemicals to the Convention, Re-emphasizing its unequivocal support for the decision of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to continue the mission to establish the facts surrounding the allegations of the use of chemical weapons, __________________ 1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1974, No. 33757. A/RES/77/73 Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction 22-28169 2/6 including toxic chemicals, for hostile purposes in the Syrian Arab Republic, while stressing that the safety and security of mission personnel remains the top priority, and recalling the work, pursuant to Security Council resolutions 2235 (2015) of 7 August 2015 and 2319 (2016) of 17 November 2016, of the Joint Investigative Mechanism of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations, Noting the work related to the Fourth Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, held in The Hague from 21 to 30 November 2018, Reaffirming the importance of the outcome of the Third Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, held in The Hague from 8 to 19 April 2013 (the Third Review Conference), including its consensus final report, in which the Conference addressed all aspects of the Convention and made important recommendations on its continued implementation, Emphasizing that the Third Review Conference welcomed the fact that the Convention is a unique multilateral agreement banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction in a non-discriminatory and verifiable manner under strict and effective international control and noted with satisfaction that the Convention continues to be a remarkable success and an example of effective multilateralism, Noting that 29 April 2022 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention, Convinced that the Convention, 25 years after its entry into force, has reinforced its role as the international norm against chemical weapons, and that it constitutes a major contribution to: (a) International peace and security, (b) Eliminating chemical weapons and preventing their re-emergence, (c) The ultimate objective of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, (d) Excluding completely, for the sake of all mankind, the possibility of the use of chemical weapons, (e) Promoting international cooperation and exchange in scientific and technical information in the field of chemical activities among States parties for peaceful purposes in order to enhance the economic and technological development of all States parties, Noting the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and all efforts to ensure its effectiveness, 1. Reaffirms its condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances, emphasizing that any use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anyone, under any circumstances is unacceptable and is and would be a violation of international law and expressing its strong conviction that those individuals responsible for the use of chemical weapons must and should be held accountable; 2. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of a toxic chemical as a weapon against Alexei Navalny in the Russian Federation, and notes with grave concern the note by the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction A/RES/77/73 3/6 22-28169 of Chemical Weapons of 6 October 2020 on the summary of the report on activities carried out in support of a request for technical assistance by Germany; 2 3. Also condemns in the strongest possible terms that chemical weapons have since 2012 been used in Iraq, Malaysia, the Syrian Arab Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including as reported by the Joint Investigative Mechanism of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations and by the Investigation and Identification Team of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in: (a) The reports of the Joint Investigative Mechanism of 24 August 2016 3 and 21 October 2016,4 which concluded that there was sufficient information to determine that the Syrian Arab Armed Forces were responsible for the attacks which released toxic substances in Talmenes, Syrian Arab Republic, on 21 April 2014, in Sarmin, Syrian Arab Republic, on 16 March 2015, and in Qmenas, Syrian Arab Republic, also on 16 March 2015, and that the so-called “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant” used sulfur mustard in Marea, Syrian Arab Republic, on 21 August 2015; (b) The report of the Joint Investigative Mechanism of 26 October 2017,5 which concluded that there was sufficient information to be confident that Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant was responsible for the use of sulfur mustard at Umm Hawsh on 15 and 16 September 2016 and that the Syrian Arab Republic was responsible for the release of sarin at Khan Shaykhun on 4 April 2017; (c) The first report of the Investigation and Identification Team, of 8 April 2020,6 which concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Syrian Arab Air Force used chemical weapons in Ltamenah on 24, 25 and 30 March 2017; (d) The second report of the Investigation and Identification Team, of 12 April 2021,7 which concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that a military helicopter of the Syrian Arab Air Force carried out a chemical weapons attack on Saraqib on 4 February 2018; and demands that the perpetrators immediately desist from any further use of chemical weapons; 4. Takes note with great concern in that regard of the reports of the fact- finding mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regarding alleged incidents in Ltamenah,8 Saraqib9 and Duma,10 Syrian Arab Republic, as well as reports regarding the alleged incidents in Marea 11 and Kafr Zayta,12 Syrian Arab Republic, which concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe that a toxic chemical or a vesicant chemical substance from 1.A.04 scheduled chemicals under the Convention had been used as a weapon; 5. Recalls the adoption of: (a) Decision C-SS-4/DEC.3 of the Fourth Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties, entitled “Addressing the threat from chemical weapons use”, of 27 June 2018; (b) Decision EC-94/DEC.2 of the Executive Council, entitled “Addressing the possession and use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Republic”, of 9 July 2020; __________________ 2 S/1906/2020. 3 See S/2016/738/Rev.1. 4 See S/2016/888. 5 See S/2017/904, annex. 6 See S/2020/310, annex. 7 See S/2021/371, annex. 8 See S/2017/931, annex, and S/2018/620, annex. 9 See S/2018/478, annex. 10 See S/2019/208, annex. 11 See S/2022/85, annex. 12 See S/2022/116, annex. A/RES/77/73 Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction 22-28169 4/6 (c) Decision C-25/DEC.9 of the Conference of the States Parties, entitled “Addressing the possession and use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Arab Republic”, of 21 April 2021; and stresses the importance of their implementation, in accordance with the Convention, and, accordingly, expresses concern with the conclusions contained in the report of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons of 14 October 2020 on the implementation of decision EC-94/DEC.2;13 6. Takes note of decision C-26/DEC.10 of the Conference of the States Parties, entitled “Understanding regarding the aerosolised use of central nervous system-acting chemicals for law enforcement purposes”, of 1 December 2021; 7. Emphasizes that the universality of the Convention is essential to achieving its object and purpose and to enhancing the security of States parties, as well as to international peace and security, underlines the fact that the objectives of the Convention will not be fully realized as long as there remains even a single State not party to the Convention that could possess or acquire such weapons, calls upon all States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Convention without delay, and in this regard recalls the outcome of the Third Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (the Third Review Conference); 8. Underlines the fact that the full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of all articles of the Convention makes a major contribution to international peace and security through the elimination of existing stockpiles of chemical weapons and the prohibition of their acquisition and use, and provides for assistance and protection in the event of use or threat of use of chemical weapons and for international cooperation for peaceful purposes in the field of chemical activities; 9. Notes the impact of scientific and technological progress on the effective implementation of the Convention and the importance for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and its policymaking organs of taking due account of such developments; 10. Reaffirms that the obligation of the States parties to complete the destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles and the destruction or conversion of chemical weapons production facilities in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and the Annex on Implementation and Verification (Verification Annex) and under the verification of the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is essential for the realization of the object and purpose of the Convention; 11. Stresses the importance to the Convention that all possessors of chemical weapons, chemical weapons production facilities or chemical weapons development facilities, including previously declared possessor States, should be among the States parties to the Convention, and welcomes progress to that end; 12. Recalls that the Third Review Conference expressed concern regarding the statement made by the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in his report to the Executive Council of the Organisation at its sixty-eighth session, provided in accordance with paragraph 2 of decision C-16/DEC.11 of 1 December 2011 adopted by the Conference of the States Parties at its sixteenth session, that three possessor States parties, namely, Libya, the Russian Federation and the United States of America, had been unable to fully meet the final extended deadline of 29 April 2012 for the destruction of their chemical weapons stockpiles, and also expressed determination that the destruction of all categories of __________________ 13 EC-96/DG.1. Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction A/RES/77/73 5/6 22-28169 chemical weapons should be completed in the shortest time possible in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and the Verification Annex, and with the full application of the relevant decisions that have been taken; 13. Welcomes the confirmation by the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons expressed in his report of 5 October 2017,14 based upon information received from the Russian Federation and independent information received from the inspectors of the Organisation, regarding the completion of the full destruction of chemical weapons declared by the Russian Federation; 14. Also welcomes the completed destruction of Libya’s remaining category 2 chemical weapons, as reported by the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in his report of 22 December 2017,15 as well as the completed destruction by Iraq of its entire declared stockpile of chemical weapons remnants, as reported by the Director General in his report of 28 February 2018; 16 15. Notes with concern that, along with the threat of the possible production, acquisition and use of chemical weapons by States, the international community also faces the danger of the production, acquisition and use of chemical weapons by non-State actors, including terrorists, concerns which have highlighted the necessity of achieving universal adherence to the Convention, as well as the high level of readiness of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and stresses that the full and effective implementation of all provisions of the Convention, including those on national implementation (article VII) and assistance and protection (article X), constitutes an important contribution to the efforts of the United Nations in the global fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations; 16. Notes that the effective application of the verification system builds confidence in compliance with the Convention by States parties; 17. Stresses the importance of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in verifying compliance with the provisions of the Convention as well as in promoting the timely and efficient accomplishment of all its objectives; 18. Expresses grave concern that, despite the verified destruction of all 27 chemical weapons production facilities declared by the Syrian Arab Republic, the Technical Secretariat, as recently reported by the Director General in his report of 23 September 2022,17 cannot fully verify that the Syrian Arab Republic has submitted a declaration that can be considered accurate and complete in accordance with the Convention, Executive Council decisions EC-M-33/DEC.1 and EC-94/DEC.2 and Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), as well as with the conclusion of decision C-SS-4/DEC.3, of the Fourth Review Conference, that the Syrian Arab Republic failed to declare and destroy all of its chemical weapons and chemical weapons production facilities, and underscores the importance of such full verification; 19. Urges all States parties to the Convention to meet in full and on time their obligations under the Convention and to support the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in its implementation activities; 20. Welcomes the progress made in the national implementation of article VII obligations, commends the States parties and the Technical Secretariat for assisting other States parties, on request, with the implementation of the follow-up to the plan of action regarding article VII obligations, urges States parties that have not fulfilled __________________ 14 EC-86/DG.31. 15 EC-87/DG.6. 16 EC-87/DG.18. 17 EC-101/DG.22. A/RES/77/73 Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction 22-28169 6/6 their obligations under article VII to do so without further delay, in accordance with their constitutional processes, and in this context reaffirms that full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of article VII is essential for the realization of the object and purpose of the Convention; 21. Emphasizes the continuing relevance and importance of the provisions of article X of the Convention, welcomes the activities of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in relation to assistance and protection against chemical weapons, supports further efforts by both States parties and the Technical Secretariat to promote a high level of readiness to respond to chemical weapons threats as articulated in article X, and welcomes the effectiveness and efficiency of the increased focus on making full use of regional and subregional capacities and expertise, including taking advantage of established training centres; 22. Reaffirms that the provisions of the Convention shall be implemented in a manner that avoids hampering the economic or technological development of States parties and international cooperation in the field of chemical activities for purposes not prohibited under the Convention, including the international exchange of scientific and technical information, and chemicals and equipment for the production, processing or use of chemicals for purposes not prohibited under the Convention; 23. Emphasizes the importance of the provisions of article XI of the Convention relating to the economic and technological development of States parties, recalls that the full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of those provisions contributes to universality, and reaffirms the undertaking of the States parties to foster international cooperation for peaceful purposes in the field of chemical activities of the States parties and the importance of that cooperation and its contribution to the promotion of the Convention as a whole; 24. Notes with appreciation the ongoing work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to achieve the object and purpose of the Convention, to ensure the full implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of compliance with it, and to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among States parties; 25. Notes the establishment of an open-ended working group to begin preparations for the Fifth Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which is to be held from 15 to 19 May 2023, and calls for constructive engagement and support for a tangible outcome of the review process; 26. Welcomes the cooperation between the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons within the framework of the relationship agreement between the United Nations and the Organisation,18 in accordance with the provisions of the Convention; 27. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-eighth session, under the item entitled “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-item entitled “Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction”. 46th plenary meeting 7 December 2022 __________________ 18 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2160, No. 1240.

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