Guterres: Eliminate ‘Weapons Of Terror’ To Avert Future Chemical Warfare

The world must make every effort to eliminate chemical weapons, the UN chief said on Monday, raising grave concerns about their continued use.

“We cannot go backwards,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message addressing the fifth Special Session of the States parties to review the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

‘Senseless Weapons Of Terror’

“The use of chemical weapons has persisted; each use threatens to reverse our hard-won gains,” Guterres said. “We must make every effort to eliminate these senseless weapons of terror.”

In the name of the victims of these attacks, and as a deterrent to any State or other actors who might use chemical weapons in the future, he said those responsible for any use must be identified and held accountable for their crimes.

‘No Place In Our World’

Chemical weapons “ have no place in our world” and their use anywhere, by anyone, for any reason is unacceptable, he said, underlining the importance of the Chemical Weapons Convention.