Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, stressed that the efforts exerted in all fields concerning preventing terrorists from possessing weapons of mass destruction have achieved some positive results as to narrow the gaps that let the terrorist groups possess such weapons, but there are still certain gaps in this regard.

Speaking a UN Security Council session on resolution No 1540 dedicated to preventing the terrorist groups from possessing and manufacturing weapons of mass destruction, al-Jaafari pointed out that some UNSC member states are involved in providing the terrorist groups with weapons of mass destruction.

Al-Jaafari stressed that Syria is committed to the international resolutions and agreements to confront the threat of the terrorists possessing weapons of mass destruction, asserting that Syria calls on the UN Security Council to ensure preventing the terrorists from possessing such weapons and holding the countries which are supporting the terrorists accountable.

Al-Jaafari pointed out that 10 years ago the Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution No 1540 to enhance efforts aimed at maintaining international peace and security and restricting the threats stemming from the possibility for the terrorists groups to get WMDs, adding that some positive results were achieved as to narrow the gaps that let the terrorist groups possess such weapons, but there are still certain gaps

He said that Syria has witnessed the use of chemical substances by the regionally-backed armed terrorist groups against civilians and military personnel several times, noting that the Syrian Arab Republic has repeatedly warned, through hundreds of official letters to the UN Secretary-General and heads of the Security Council and the committee of resolution 1540, that some countries which are supporting terrorism in Syria would facilitate the possession of the armed terrorist groups of chemical weapons.

He clarified that Syria submitted to the Security Council and its subcommittee tasked with implementing resolution No 1540 starting from its letter dated 8/12/2012 and ending with the letter dated 7/4/2014 detailed and documented information on al-Qaeda members making and testing chemical weapons in a laboratory in the Turkish city of Gaziantep to use them against the Syrian civilians and information on the terrorists’ attempt to bring in amounts of sarin gas across the Turkish borders after they transported them aboard a civil airplane that arrived in Turkey coming from Libya to use this gas in Syria and accuse the Syrian government.

He added that some member states turned deaf ear to Syria’s repeated warnings and calls for respecting the resolution 1540 and they ignored what was mentioned in the UNSC resolution No 2118 which called on the member states to prevent offering any kind of support to the terrorist groups which are trying to possess nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

Al-Jaafari emphasized Syria’s call on the UN Security Council to play its role to prevent the terrorist groups active in Syria from possessing weapons of mass destruction and to hold the countries which are supporting terrorism in Syria accountable as to actively contribute to the efforts exerted to maintain international peace and security.