Under proposals being floated by French diplomats, the powers of the world’s chemical weapons watchdog could be expanded to include attributing responsibility for the use of chemical weapons, rather than merely investigating whether they have been used. The OPCW oversees the chemical weapons convention that came into force in 1997. As a result, since last November no internationally recognised body has existed empowered to identify a group or country that has used chemical weapons. The use of chemical weapons has become a hallmark of the brutal Syrian civil war. The gathering in Paris on Friday will bring together countries that have agreed to exchange information about individuals and entities involved in the use of chemical weapons.

Source: The Guardian May 18, 2018 09:24 UTC