India deeply worried on reports of ISIS acquiring chemical weapons
India is "deeply worried" about reports of the socalled 'Islamic State' or ISIS acquiring chemical weapons and has asked the chemical weapons watchdog OPCW to closely monitor this threat.
"India shares the widespread concern over fresh allegations on the use of chemical weapons coming from different parts of the world," Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to OPCW, Venu Rajamony, said, addressing the 88th session of the Executive Council of the Organization for Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) here on Tuesday.
He said: "We are saddened to learn about the tragic loss of life of a UK citizen in Amesbury following the exposure to a toxic chemical. We express our deepest sympathies to all victims of chemical weapon attacks and their families.” Dawn Sturgess, a 44-year-old British woman, died on July 8, days after being exposed to a "high dose" of a deadly nerve agent in Amesbury, near the town of Salisbury in south west England where a former Russian spy and his daughter were poisoned with the same chemical four months ago.
Rajamony said it has been India's consistent position that the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anybody, under any circumstances, cannot be justified and the perpetrators of such abhorrent acts must be held accountable.
The use of chemical weapons is in complete disregard of humanity and is reprehensible and contrary to the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention as well as accepted international legal norms, he said. "India is deeply worried about reports of the socalled ‘Islamic State' or ISIS/ISIL acquiring chemical weapons and their delivery systems and requests the Technical Secretariat to closely monitor this threat and report to the Executive Council on this emerging challenge," Rajamony was quoted as on Wednesday.
He said any allegations of use of chemical weapons should be addressed in an effective and timely manner and strictly in accordance with the provisions of the convention.