UN Security Council extends OPCW-UN Joint Mechanism's mandate to investigate chemical weapons use cases in Syria
THE UNITED NATIONS (New York). Oct 31 (Interfax) - The draft resolution on technical extension of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) - UN Joint Investigative Mechanism's mandate until November 18, 2016 has been unanimously endorsed by the Security Council members.
"The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously, by 15 votes of the Council's members," UN Security Council chairperson in October, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin said, following the voting.
"The Russian delegation has found it possible to back the today's short-term technical extension of the OPCW-UN Joint Mechanism's mandate to inquire into the chemical weapons use in Syria," he said.
"We have taken this step with the aim that for the period of time set in the new resolution the Council's members will be able to substantively discuss the possible updating of the Joint Investigative Mechanism on the basis of developing the accumulated experience and removing systemic flaws, which had been uncovered while presenting the final reports," he said.
Churkin expressed gratitude to the authors of the document "for understanding Russia's position that enabled to retain the constructive spirit of work on the Syrian chemical dossier that has been stipulated, while working out UN Security Council Resolution 2118 and 2235."
The United States has presented the text of the resolution on the technical extension of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism's mandate.