Syrian Chemical Weapons and International Law

This is the first book to focus on international efforts to address Syrian chemical weapons issues in an international law context. It provides an overview of the process of control over Syrian compliance/non-compliance with international obligations, including the keys to success in eliminating Syria’s stockpiles and reasons for difficulties in handling multiple uses of toxic chemicals as weapons in domestic armed conflicts. It also addresses collective and unilateral sanctions against Syria outside of international institutional frameworks, and their implications for subsequent cases. Supported by extensive analyses of developments within the OPCW Executive Council and the UN Security Council, this book is recommended for readers seeking insight about chemical weapons issues and dynamism of international law.

Introduction.- International Law Pertaining to Syrian Chemical Weapons.- International Humanitarian Law: ad hoc Compliance/non-Compliance Control through ex post Measures.- International Disarmament Law: Systematic and Continuous Compliance/non-Compliance Control based on combined ex ante and ex post measures.- Conclusion.- Appendix.

Tatsuya Abe is Professor of International Law at the School of International Politics, Economics and Communication, Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan. Having received his Doctor of Laws degree from Kyoto University, Professor Abe specializes in disarmament and arms control law, having been involved for over 20 years with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Recent publications include Weapons of Mass Destruction and International Law (2011) (in Japanese), as well as articles in The Nonproliferation Review and Japanese Yearbook of International Law.