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All investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons should be conducted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and all provisions of the CWC should be utilised to reach evidence based conclusions, says India on the Salisbury incident

Posted on: April 19, 2018 | Back | Print

Embassy of India

The Hague

Press Release

April 18, 2018

All investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons should be conducted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and all provisions of the CWC should be utilised to  reach evidence based conclusions, says India on the Salisbury incident.

India has stated in the Executive Council of the Organization for Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)  that  all investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons should be conducted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and all provisions of the Convention should be utilised to reach evidence based conclusions. 

Addressing the 59th Meeting of the Executive Council of the OPCW convened at the request of the UK, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to OPCW,  Venu Rajamony said India has taken note of the report submitted after the Technical Assistance visit. India’s position on chemical weapons is clear and consistent. Any use of chemical weapons is in complete disregard of humanity, and is reprehensible and contrary to the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention as well as accepted international legal norms. India is against the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anybody, under any circumstances.

He said the Chemical Weapons Convention is a unique non-discriminatory multilateral instrument which continues to serve as a model disarmament treaty.  It is important to maintain the credibility and integrity of the Convention.  India, has therefore, maintained that all investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons should be conducted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. India also urges that all provisions of the Convention be utilized to address concerns in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Convention, so as to reach evidence based conclusions.

Full text of the Ambassador’s statement to the special session of the EC of OPCW is attached. 

Statement by

Ambassador Venu Rajamony,

Permanent Representative of India to the OPCW

at the 59th Meeting of the Executive Council,

18 April 2018

Thank you, Mr. Chairman for giving me the floor.

My delegation would like to thank the OPCW team for its report on the technical assistance visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

We have taken note of the report. India’s position on chemical weapons is clear and consistent. Any use of chemical weapons is in complete disregard of humanity, and is reprehensible and contrary to the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention as well as accepted international legal norms. India is against the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anybody, under any circumstances.

The Chemical Weapons Convention is a unique non-discriminatory multilateral instrument which continues to serve as a model disarmament treaty.  It is important to maintain the credibility and integrity of the Convention. India has, therefore, maintained that all investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons should be conducted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. We also urge that all provisions of the Convention be utilised to address concerns in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Convention, so as to reach evidence based conclusions.

Mr. Chairman, I request that this Statement be circulated as an official document of this session and posted on the OPCW’s public website.

Thank you.