Security Council resolution 2319 (2016) [on renewal of the mandate of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism to identify the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic for one additional year]
Symbol: S/RES/2319 (2016)
Date: 2016-11-17
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/71 [222] SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC SITUATION
S/ X The situation in the Middle East.
Subjects: OPCW/UN Joint Investigative Mechanism|CHEMICAL WEAPONS USE|FACT-FINDING MISSIONS|SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: EGYPT
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALAYSIA
vote: yes
country: NEW ZEALAND
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SENEGAL
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: UKRAINE
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: URUGUAY
vote: yes
country: VENEZUELA (BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF)
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                  S/RES/2319 (2016)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               17 November 2016




               Resolution 2319 (2016)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7815th meeting,
               on 17 November 2016

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its resolutions 2314 (2016), 2235 (2015), 2209 (2015) and 2118
               (2013),
                    Noting that additional allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria are being
               investigated by the Fact-Finding Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of
               Chemical Weapons (OPCW),
                     Condemning again in the strongest terms any use of any toxic chemicals as a
               weapon in the Syrian Arab Republic and expressing alarm that civilians continue to
               be killed and injured by toxic chemicals as weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic,
                     Reaffirming that the use of chemical weapons constitutes a serious violation of
               international law and reiterating that those individuals, entities, groups or
               governments responsible for any use of chemical weapons must be held accountable,
                     Reaffirming their grave concern that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant
               (ISIL, also known as Da’esh), and other individuals, groups, undertakings, and
               entities associated with ISIL (Da’esh) or Al-Qaida, including but not limited to
               foreign terrorist fighters who have joined ISIL (Da’esh) in Syria, groups that have
               pledged allegiance to ISIL (Da’esh), and Al-Nusra Front (ANF), continue operating
               in the Syrian Arab Republic,
                    Stressing the need for all Member States to fully comply with their obligations
               under resolution 2178 (2014),
                     Recalling that in resolution 2118 the Council underscored that no party in
               Syria should use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer chemical
               weapons and decided that member States shall inform immediately the Security
               Council of any violations of resolution 1540 including acquisitions by non -State
               actors of chemical weapons, their means of delivery and related materials in order to
               take necessary measures therefore,
                     1.    Decides to renew the mandate of the Joint investigative Mechanism, as
               set out in resolution 2235, for a further period of one year from the date of adoption




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               of this resolution, with a possibility of further extension and update by the Security
               Council if it deems necessary;
                     2.    Recalls its decision that the Syrian Arab Republic shall not use, develop,
               produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons, or, transfer, directly
               or indirectly, chemical weapons to other States or non -State actors;
                    3.    Reaffirms paragraphs 1, 3-4, 6, 8, 9, 12, and 15 of resolution 2235;
                     4.    Encourages the Joint Investigative Mechanism, where relevant, to consult
               appropriate United Nations counter-terrorism and non-proliferation bodies, in
               particular the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 and 1267/1989/2253
               ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, in order to exchange information
               on non-State actor perpetration, organization, sponsorship, or other involvement in
               use of chemicals as weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic where the OPCW Fact -
               Finding Mission (FFM) determines or has determined that a specific incident in the
               Syrian Arab Republic involved or likely involved the use of chemicals as weapons;
                     5.    Invites the Joint Investigative Mechanism to engage relevant regional
               States in pursuit of its mandate, including in order to identif y to the greatest extent
               feasible any individuals, entities or groups associated with ISIL (Da’esh) or ANF
               who were perpetrators, organizers, sponsors or otherwise involved in the use of
               chemicals as weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic where the OPCW FFM
               determines or has determined that a specific incident in the Syrian Arab Republic
               involved or likely involved the use of chemicals as weapons, encourages relevant
               regional states to provide, as appropriate, to the Joint Investigative Mechanism
               information on non-State actors’ access to chemical weapons and their components
               or efforts by non-State actors to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport,
               transfer or use chemical weapons and their means of delivery that occur under their
               jurisdiction, including relevant information from national investigations, and
               underscores the importance of States Parties’ obligations under Article VII of the
               Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use
               of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC), and the full implementation
               of paragraph 8 of resolution 2235, including with respect to information pertaining
               to non-State actors;
                     6.    Recalls Article X.8 and X.9 of the CWC allowing any State Party to
               request and receive assistance and protection against the use or threat of use of
               chemical weapons if it considers that chemical weapons have been used against it,
               recalls further that such requests, substantiated by relevant information, are
               transmitted by the Director General of the OPCW to the Executive Council and all
               States Parties to the CWC, and invites the Joint Investigative Mechanism to offer its
               services to the OPCW in such circumstances if relevant to effectively fulfilling the
               Joint Investigative Mechanism’s mandate;
                     7.    Reaffirms paragraph 7 of resolution 2235, including with respect to the
               ability of the Joint Investigative Mechanism to examine additional information and
               evidence that was not obtained or prepared by the FFM but that is related to the
               mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, and stresses the need for its full
               implementation, in particular the provision of information requested by the Joint
               Investigative Mechanism and the making available of witnesses;




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                8.   Requests the United Nations Secretary-General, in coordination with the
           OPCW Director-General, present a report to the United Nations Security Council
           and inform the OPCW Executive Council every 60 days on the progress made;
                9.     Requests the Joint Investigative Mechanism to complete a report within
           90 days of adoption of this resolution, and complete subsequent reports as appropriate
           thereafter, and requests the Joint Investigative Mechanism to present the report, or
           reports, to the United Nations Security Council and inform the OPCW Executive
           Council, and invites the Joint Investigative Mechanism to brief, as appropriate, the
           1540 Committee, the 1267/1989/2253 Committee or other relevant counter -terrorism
           or non-proliferation bodies on relevant results of their work;
                10.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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