The power is considered an important step in curbing the use of chemical weapons. The member nations of OPCW voted in favour of giving the organisation such power in a special conference held on Wednesday in Netherlands’ The Hague.
It was UK’s initiative to assign the organisation with such important powers. It was approved in a vote where 82 countries voted in favor and 12 against it.
“The international community has come together to strengthen the ban against chemical weapons use,” said the UK’s delegation on its official Twitter account.
However, Russia strictly opposed the proposal. Russian representatives delayed the vote for over an hour stating that UK’s proposal was a ploy. Russia also claimed that London had entangled its allies in a flagrant anti-Russian campaign after the alleged poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.
Moscow does not have veto powers in the OPCW. Further, was unable to convince its allies to vote against the initiative.
OPCW’s new power is a threat to the Russia-backed Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. The regime has been accused of carrying out chemical weapons attacks against his people that may have killed hundreds.The move strengthens OPWC’s power to bring international order by monitoring chemical weapons attacks.
- OPCW could send teams to an alleged chemical weapons attack.
- It could further investigate into the attack.
- It could take samples and draw conclusions.
- OPCW could also determine whether a chemical weapons incident had actually occurred.
However, the organisation’s powers seemed much limited as it could not let out names of those responsible. But now, it has been granted permission to say out loudly, who is behind the attack.
