Declaração da Delegação do Brasil durante debate aberto do Conselho de Segurança sobre sobre a situação na Síria - 5 de janeiro de 2023 (texto em inglês)

Statement by the Delegation of Brazil at the UNSC on the Middle East (Syria)
January 5th, 2023

Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to thank Director Adedeji Ebo, Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, for his briefing. I would also like to thank the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for his latest report.

Like in previous months, little seems to have changed in the situation on the ground or in the relationship between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Organization. This reinforces our perception that there is a mismatch in the frequency of these meetings.

While the Council should pay close attention to the progress in the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria, holding monthly meetings when there is little or no relevant development on the ground does not seem efficient in terms of both time and resources.

Mr. President,

Brazil welcomes efforts made to hold a meeting between representatives of the OPCW and Syrian authorities in Beirut last November. We regret that the meeting could not take place.

Noting the impossibility to conduct full rounds of consultations, we welcome efforts to send a reduced team to conduct limited in-country activities in Syria later this month.

Furthermore, we welcome the six-month extension of the Tripartite Agreement between the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the OPCW and the Syrian Arab Republic.

Mr. President,

In the face of the absence of relevant recent developments in the Syrian chemical weapons file, allow me to reaffirm our traditional positions on the matter.

Chemical weapons are utterly incompatible with international humanitarian law and, therefore, must have no place in the practices and doctrines of today’s world. The use of such weapons violates international agreements and poses serious threats to international peace and security. Incidents must be addressed with transparency and be subject to thorough and impartial investigations, in accordance with the CWC.

I thank you.