THE HAGUE, June 27 - India has said it is against the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances and believes those who indulge in such �abhorrent acts� must be held accountable.
Speaking at a special conference of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) here, India�s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OPCW Venu Rajamony said the country expresses its deepest sympathies to the victims of chemical weapons attacks and their families.
The conference has been called by the UK, the US and the West to have discussions on upholding the global ban against the use of chemical weapons.
The UK has reportedly proposed to consider empowering the OPCW to identify the organisation or government responsible for chemical attacks in addition to its existing power of carrying out the investigation into such cases.
�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,� Rajamony said.
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. It is important to maintain the credibility and integrity of the Convention, he said.
All investigations of the alleged use of chemical weapons should be conducted in an impartial and objective manner and strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, the Ambassaor said. � PTI
