UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute on Tuesday to victims of chemical warfare, calling for the elimination of all chemical weapons.
In a message marking the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Chemical Warfare, Ban urged the world to use this "solemn occasion" to honor the victims and ensure their suffering will not be forgotten nor repeated.
Citing the Chemical Weapons Convention, which entered into force on April 29, 1997, Ban reminded all states parties to the convention of their obligation to destroy existing chemical weapons stockpiles by April 29, 2012.
"I call upon all possessor states to complete their destruction according to the agreed deadlines," he said.
The secretary-general also expressed grave concern that some key states have not adhered to the convention.
"I urge those states that have not yet ratified or acceded to it to do so without further delay," he stressed.
Since 1997, the membership of the Chemical Weapons Convention increased to 183 states parties, covering 98 percent of the world's population.
"Achieving complete elimination of chemical weapons and universal adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention are genuine ways of honoring the memory of all victims of chemical warfare," he said.
Ban pledged the world organization's cooperation with relevant international bodies to "promote full implementation and universality of the convention."
At an international conference on the elimination of chemical weapons held in November, 2005, more than 120 countries agreed to designate April 29 as the international Day of Remembrance for Victims of Chemical Warfare.
Source:Xinhua
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