Switzerland condemns the use of chemical weapons in the conflict in Syria

Bern, 27.03.2015 - In the context of the conflict in Syria, Switzerland calls on the party responsible to refrain from using chemical weapons and to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Despite Syria's accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the near-complete destruction of its declared stockpiles, there have recently been new reports of the repeated use of chlorine gas in inhabited areas. These reports are extremely alarming. Switzerland condemns in the strongest terms the continuing use of chemical weapons in the conflict in Syria. It demands that the use of chemical weapons is stopped immediately and that obligations under international humanitarian law be fulfilled, and stresses that the use of chemical weapons is prohibited by international law.

Finding out what is actually happening is of crucial importance, which is why Switzerland considers the fact-finding mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to be very important and lends it its full support. Switzerland welcomes the fact that these most recent allegations are also being investigated. New violations must be prevented at all costs and serious crimes must not go unsolved and unpunished, regardless of which side committed them. To this end, as early as June 2012 the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) called for the situation in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

Through its Spiez Laboratory, Switzerland was already involved in the analysis of sarin samples taken by the UN fact-finding mission in Syria in 2013. To ensure that the declared Syrian chemical weapons stockpiles would be destroyed as swiftly as possible, Switzerland also made an immediate contribution of CHF 1.5 million and provided chemical-protective material.

Switzerland will continue its humanitarian efforts in Syria and in neighbouring countries that are absorbing large numbers of refugees. In addition it will also offer its good offices to contribute to a lasting peace that respects the rights of all Syrians. The Syrian crisis can only be solved by political means.


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https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/dokumentation/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-56722.html