The report, provided by a Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said “information suggests the involvement of both the government and other actors” in alleged chemical attacks in Syria.
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Council members met to discuss the findings of an global team of inspectors that determined that both the Syrian government and Islamic State militants were responsible for chemical attacks carried out in 2014 and 2015.
The report set the stage for a Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, pitting Russian Federation and China against the United States, Britain and France.
Russia, a close Syrian ally, and China have previously protected the Syrian government from council action by using their veto power to block resolutions, including a bid to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
When the report was released, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said the inspectors’ findings mirrored “numerous other confirmed cases of chemical weapons use across Syria, and countless other allegations of such use, including as recently as several weeks ago”.
“There are a number of questions which have to be clarified before we accept all the findings of the report”, he said.
“The conclusions contained in the report were totally based on statements made by witnesses presented by the terrorist armed groups or their incubator environment”.
“Clearly there is a smoking gun”. “It contains no names, it contains no specifics”.
Russian Federation has blocked sanctions and other council action against President Bashar Assad’s government but Moscow did support the establishment of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, charged with determining who was responsible for the attacks and paving the way for possible punishment. “We know that chlorine was most likely used, but there are no fingerprints on the gun”.
French Ambassador Francois Delattre called for a “quick and strong Security Council response” that would include “imposing sanctions on those who are responsible for these acts”.
Previous reports from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had concluded that toxic gases have been used as weapons in Syria’s five-year war, but stopped short of identifying the perpetrators.
“Russia was absolutely instrumental in the creation of this Joint Investigative Mechanism working constructively with the United States, so let’s hear what they have to say but I would expect them to want the fruits of their labors i.e., this report to lead to action”, said British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft.
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“There are two cases that they suggest are the fault of the Syrian side; we have very serious questions”, he told reporters after the council met behind closed doors to discuss the issue.
