WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― A top U.S. diplomat in charge of arms control and nonproliferation demanded Tuesday that North Korea and seven other nations immediately join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

“Eight states including Syria have chosen to remain outside of the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the United States calls upon all of them to join the Convention without delay,” Rose E. Gottemoeller, acting under secretary of state for arms control and international security, said in a statement.

It was released to mark the 15th anniversary of implementing the CWC, which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.

The convention has 188 member states, but North Korea, Syria, Angola, Myanmar, Egypt, Israel, Somalia and South Sudan are not signatories yet.

“The Chemical Weapons Convention is an historic achievement in addressing the threat from weapons of mass destruction and has significantly contributed to international peace and security,” Gottemoeller said.