UN Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic

Report on Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Ghouta Area of Damascus on 21 August 2013

I. Terms of Reference

1. The Secretary-General decided to establish the UN Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic based on his authority under General Assembly resolution 42/37C and Security Council 620 (1988). The purpose of this Mission is to ascertain the facts related to the allegations of use of chemical weapons and to gather relevant data and undertake the necessary analyses for this purpose and to deliver a report to the Secretary-General.

2. For the purpose of ascertaining the facts related to the allegations of use of chemical weapons, gathering relevant data and undertaking the necessary analyses, the Secretary-General has requested the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ("OPCW") to put its resources at his disposal, including providing a team of experts to conduct fact-finding activities. The Secretary-General has also requested the World Health Organization ("WHO") to provide technical support in assessing the public health, clinical and event-specific health aspects of the allegations that have been brought to his attention.

3. The UN Mission has conducted its investigation and all related activities in accordance with the terms of reference issued by the Secretary-General to the UN Mission including the above provisions as well as others on cooperation, methods of work and scope and reporting. As such, the terms of reference applied in respect of its investigation of the Gouta allegations on which this report is submitted without prejudice to the continuing investigation of, and final report on, all allegations involving the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic.

4. In discharging its mandate, the Mission was guided by the United Nations Guidelines and Procedures for the timely and efficient investigation of reports of the possible use of chemical and bacteriological (biological) or toxin weapons (A/44/561) and, as appropriate and to the extent applicable, the OPCW provisions as identified in Article I(5)(a) of the Supplementary Arrangement to the Agreement concerning the Relationship between the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

5. Other relevant legal instruments governing the cooperation between the UN and the OPCW and WHO and guiding the work of the UN Mission are set out in Appendix I.