LOC21:57
18:57 GMT
NEW YORK, Feb 12 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has submitted the first report of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) to the Security Council today, and identified potential cases for further investigation in Syria.
In the report, Ban confirmed that JIM reviewed the incidents where the OPCW Fact-Finding Missions determined that chemicals were used or likely used as weapons in Syria.
In the next phase, JIM will include a detailed analysis of all information obtained, including from Member States and other sources.
It will also finalize the list of cases for investigation on the basis of all information obtained, and the conduct of the investigation, including field visits as necessary, in order to identify the individuals, entities, groups or governments who were perpetrators, organizers, sponsors or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons.
This stage will continue until sufficient information and evidence is gathered to allow the Mechanism to report its findings to the Security Council.
Ban expressed his appreciation to the leadership panel and the staff of JIM, as well as the OPCW and the Office for Disarmament Affairs for their continued support to the Mechanism, as well as to Member States for their assistance to the Mechanism and financial support to its Trust Fund.
He also stressed that full cooperation from the Syrian Government and all parties in Syria "remains essential" in the discharge of the Mechanism's mandate.
The report provides an overview of the work of the JIM to date, the sources of information available to the Mechanism and the methodology behind their investigation.
The UN Chief in his report appreciated the professional, independent, objective and impartial work that is being carried out.
The Security Council is expected to consider the report on 22 February. (end)
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