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EXPLANATION OF VOTE BEFORE THE VOTE

ON CLUSTER 2

BY REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA

 

FIRST COMMITTEE OF THE 76TH SESSION OF 

THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

NEW YORK, 27 OCTOBER 2021

 

 

 

Mr Chair,

 

1.     Malaysia appreciates the tabling by Poland of the draft resolution L.10 entitled “Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction”.

 

2.     Malaysia continues to condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. 

 

3.     The use of such weapons is abhorrent and a flagrant violation of international law, especially the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Those responsible for the deployment of such weapons must be held accountable

4.     Malaysia is committed to the full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of the CWC. The compliance and verification provisions of the CWC are significant achievements of multilateral negotiations for disarmament and provide lasting confidence among States Parties in the effectiveness of the Convention.

 

5.     Malaysia supports the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) as the sole organization mandated to undertake investigations on chemical weapons use.

 

6.     On this note, Malaysia is of the view that all parties concerned should cooperate with the OPCW to ensure an impartial and thorough investigation of any incidents.

 

7.     Malaysia takes note of the decision adopted during the Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties on 27 June 2018 which empowers the OPCW with an attribution mandate.

 

8.     However, it is imperative that every decision and action taken within the OPCW be done within the parameters laid out by the CWC and in accordance with the provisions prescribed by the Convention.

 

9.     Malaysia, therefore, reiterates the need to protect the OPCW, a respected technical organization, from extraneous influences in the conduct of its work. 

 

10.     For the principles and reasons already outlined, Malaysia retains its position from last year and will abstain on OP2, OP3, OP5 and OP17 of the text. 

 

11.     Malaysia will vote in favour of the draft resolution as a whole.

 

I thank you Mr. Chair.