For several months, members of a “small group” (Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Jordan and the United Kingdom) have been trying to eliminate Russia from the UN Security Council.

In the same vein, France has just proposed amending the by-laws of the OIAC, the organization tasked with checking the application of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons – amendments which will lead to changing the meaning of the Treaty—.

The idea is that, since Russia is challenging the Atlantists version of the Skripal matter and the events in Eastern Ghouta, the OIAC might settle issues on what happened and then pinpoint culpability without Russia.

Up until now, the mandate of the OIAC permits it to fact-find but not to go on to make a declaration as to culpability. The organization makes its decision on the basis of a qualified majority.

The French proposition is that going forward, decisions should be taken by a simple majority. This would automatically empower the Western powers and them alone.