syria-un-20160212 3

S/2016/142 16-02054 3/12 Enclosure First report of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 11 of Security Council resolution 2235 (2015). The reporting period covers the activities of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (hereinafter “the Mechanism”) to identify to the greatest extent feasible individuals, entities, groups or Governments who were perpetrators, organizers, sponsors or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons, including chlorine or any other toxic chemical, in the Syrian Arab Republic from 24 September 2015, when the present mandate of the Mechanism commenced, until 10 February 2016. II. Background 2. The Security Council, in its resolutions 2118 (2013) and 2209 (2015), condemned in the strongest terms the use of any toxic chemical as a weapon in the Syrian Arab Republic, affirmed that the use of chemical weapons constituted a serious violation of international law and stressed that those responsible for the use of such weapons must be held accountable. On 7 August 2015, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2235 (2015), by which the Mechanism was established for a period of one year with the possibility of extension, if the Council deems it necessary. 3. The Mechanism was mandated to identify to the greatest extent feasible individuals, entities, groups or Governments who were perpetrators, organizers, sponsors or otherwise involved in the use of chemicals as weapons, including chlorine or any other toxic chemical, in the Syrian Arab Republic where the OPCW fact-finding mission determines or has determined that a specific incident in the Syrian Arab Republic involved or likely involved the use of chemicals as weapons, including chlorine or any other toxic chemical. 4. In accordance with paragraph 5 of resolution 2235 (2015), the United Nations Secretary-General, in coordination with the Director General of OPCW, submitted a letter to the President of the Security Council dated 27 August (S/2015/669) with recommendations, including elements of terms of reference, regarding the establishment and operation of the Mechanism. A second letter to the President of the Security Council, dated 9 September (S/2015/696), was submitted upon a request for further clarification on the terms of reference of the Mechanism. The Security Council authorized these recommendations, as conveyed by the President of the Security Council in his letter to the Secretary-General dated 10 September (S/2015/697). 5. On 15 September, the President of the Security Council informed the Secretary-General (see S/2015/710) that the members of the Security Council took note of the intention expressed in the Secretary-General’s letter dated 11 September (S/2015/709) to appoint Virginia Gamba (Argentina) as head of the independen