Germany works to strengthen the international response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria
Published: 06 May 2021 Authors: Stefan Talmon and Muskan Yadav
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) prohibits the use of chemical weapons, as well as their development, production, stockpiling and transfer “under any circumstances”. Syria acceded to the Convention on 14 September 2013, declaring that it “shall comply with the stipulations contained [in the Convention] and observe them faithfully and sincerely, applying the Convention provisionally pending its entry into force for the Syrian Arab Republic.” The Convention entered into force for Syria 30 days later on 14 October 2013. The CWC goes beyond the Geneva Protocol of 1925, which prohibited the use of chemical weapons only “in war”; that is, in international armed conflict. Although Syria had been bound by the Geneva Protocol since 17 December 1968, its provisions were not applicable to the non-international armed conflict raging in Syria since 2012. (more…)