Mogherini: EU supports all efforts to prevent use of CWs

BRUSSELS, April 14 (KUNA) -- European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini revealed that the EU was informed about targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria last night.
"These specific measures were taken "with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people," she said in a Declaration on behalf of the 28-member European bloc Saturday.
She reiterated the EUآ’s "strongest condemnation of the repeated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, as confirmed by the OPCW/UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) and as reported continuously in recent months in Eastern Ghouta and other areas in Syria, including the most recent reports of a devastating chemical attack on Douma." "In this context, the EU is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons. It finds it is deeply shocking that the international community is still confronted with the use of chemical weapons," she stated and added that that the Syrian declaration on the destruction of its chemical weapons "cannot be fully verified as accurate and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention." "Accountability is a must. The use of chemical weapons or chemical substances as weapons is a war crime and a crime against humanity. Perpetrators will be held accountable for this violation of international law," she stressed.
The EU calls upon all countries, notably Russia and Iran, to use their influence to prevent any further use of chemical weapons, notably by the Syrian regime, and supports the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons.
She reiterated that there can be no other solution to the Syrian conflict than political. "We have a common goal in preventing any escalation of violence that could transform the Syrian crisis into a wider regional confrontation, with incalculable consequences for the Middle East and indeed the whole world." Mogherini called upon all parties to the conflict, especially the regime and its allies, to implement immediately the ceasefire, and to ensure humanitarian access and medical evacuations as unanimously agreed in UNSC Resolution 2401.
She added that the Second Brussels Conference on Syria which will be held on 24-25 April 2018, co-chaired by the EU and the UN, will be the opportunity for the entire international community to relaunch its consistent support for the political process and commit new pledges to help the main victims of this ongoing conflict, namely the Syrian people inside and outside Syria. (end) nk.mt