Syria’s Chemical Weapons Declaration Remains Incomplete, Disarmament Chief Tells Security Council, Stressing Need for Full Cooperation by Damascus
Several Members Express Frustration over Undermining Work of Technical Secretariat Staff, Others Question Recurring Meetings on File
All efforts by the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to organize the next round of consultations with Syria continue to be unsuccessful, the United Nations disarmament chief told the Security Council today, stressing the need for full cooperation by Damascus.
Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said that, despite having provided Syria with the list of pending declarations, the Secretariat still has not received any of the requested documents, including the declaration of quantities of nerve agents produced at one chemical weapons production facility. In a further attempt to implement its mandate, the Secretariat proposed to deploy a reduced team comprising several members of the Declaration Assessment Team to conduct limited in-country activities in January and April.
She went on to underline that, considering the identified gaps, inconsistencies and unresolved discrepancies, the Technical Secretariat assesses that Syria’s declaration cannot be considered accurate and complete. Noting the extension of the Tripartite Agreement concluded among OPCW, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Syria up to and including 30 June, she said the fact-finding mission continues to study all available information related to allegations of the use of chemical weapons there and is currently preparing upcoming deployments. Additionally, the Investigation and Identification Team continues its investigations into incidents in which chemical weapons were used or likely used.
In the ensuing debate, many Council members expressed frustration that almost a decade after the adoption of resolution 2118 (2013), the Syrian regime has still not shed light on its chemical weapon stocks. Against this backdrop, they called on Syria to stop undermining the work of the Technical Secretariat and to authorize OPCW staff to deploy in Syria pursuant to their mandate. Meanwhile, some speakers underscored that the Council must examine the effectiveness of recurring meetings on the Syrian chemical file, especially when there are no real developments.
The representative of the United Arab Emirates noted that the decision to readmit Syria to the League of Arab States will help promote Arab solutions to Arab crises while restoring security and stability to the region. On the visit of the reduced Declaration Assessment Team to Syria in April, she stressed the importance of moving forward with holding comprehensive consultations between the two parties. She further warned against the threat of chemical terrorism, adding that Da’esh will not hesitate to use any weapons or means to re-establish its control.
The representative of the United States emphasized that it has only been through the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team’s diligent efforts that the regime has been forced to reveal on seven separate occasions its chemical weapons programme. Condemning Syria’s repeated use of chemical weapons against its civilians, he called on Damascus to amend its Chemical Weapons Convention declarations to make them accurate and complete, and provide unfettered access to OPCW staff. Meanwhile, he cautioned: “Russia’s shameless shielding of Syria’s defiant behaviour enables the Assad regime and leaves the Syrian people facing the prospect of further chemical-weapons attacks.”
Offering a contrasting perspective, the representative of the Russian Federation said that, by accusing Damascus of a lack of cooperation, the West is presenting groundless statements that there has been no progress on closing the Syrian chemical dossier. While OPCW has turned into “an obedient instrument in the hands of the West”, its Director-General, Fernando Arias, not only has not visited the country, but also stated that he has no desire to do so. “Our Western colleagues play deaf and dumb when it suits them,” he asserted, noting that their only goal is to cover up the manipulations of the Technical Secretariat.
Echoing that sentiment, the representative of Iran said that his people will never forget the role that some Western countries played in assisting the regime of Saddam Hussein in the systematic use of chemical weapons during Iraq’s imposed war against his country. However, due to its double standards, the Council was unable to carry out its duties to hold perpetrators accountable for such atrocious crimes, he recalled, noting that these detrimental practices continue to persist, as evidenced by the politicization of the Convention and OPCW. Detailing the Syrian Government’s continued cooperation with OPCW, he said consultations took place between the two sides, and many aspects related to some outstanding issues were discussed, facilitating the visit of some sites, collecting samples and interviewing witnesses.
Rounding up the discussion, the representative of Syria said that, during the recent visits of the reduced Declaration Assessment Team, the Syrian National Authority provided all the necessary cooperation to ensure the success of the Team’s work. However, the Technical Secretariat continues to refuse the twenty-fifth round of consultations, he said, asking whether its aim is to provide a pretext for false accusations of non-cooperation to be made against his country. He further underlined that the fact-finding mission must reform its working methods, address its serious defects and make its reports impartial.
The meeting began at 10:01 a.m. and ended at 11:11 a.m.
Briefing
IZUMI NAKAMITSU, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, noting that her office has been in regular contact with its counterparts in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Technical Secretariat on activities related to Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), said that the Declaration Assessment Team has continued its efforts to clarify all outstanding issues. Unfortunately, all efforts by the Technical Secretariat to organize the next round of consultations with Syria continue to be unsuccessful. The Secretariat has provided Syria with the list of pending declarations and other documents and proposed, in May 2022, to address the declaration-related issues through exchange of correspondence, but it still has not received any of the requested documents, including the complete declaration of activities at the Scientific Studies and Research Center and the declaration of quantities of nerve agents produced at one chemical weapons production facility that was declared by Syria as never having been used to produce chemical weapons, she added.
In a further attempt to implement its mandate, the OPCW Technical Secretariat proposed to deploy a reduced team comprising several members of the Declaration Assessment Team to conduct limited in-country activities. The first such deployment took place from 17 to 22 January, and the second took place from 12 to 19 April. The outcome of the first deployment was reported to States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction States Parties in March and the outcomes of the second deployment will be reported to the OPCW Executive Council in due course. Stressing the need for full cooperation by Syria, she said that considering the identified gaps, inconsistencies and unresolved discrepancies, the OPCW Technical Secretariat assesses that Syria’s declaration cannot be considered accurate and complete. Turning to the inspections of the Barzah and Jamrayah facilities of the Scientific Studies and Research Center, she said, the Technical Secretariat continues to plan the next round of inspections, to be held in 2023. The Secretariat is also awaiting information related to the unauthorized movement of the two cylinders related to the chemical weapon incident that took place in Douma on 7 April 2018.
Noting the extension of the Tripartite Agreement concluded among OPCW, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Syria up to and including 30 June, she added the fact-finding mission continues to study all available information related to allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria and is currently preparing upcoming deployments. Further, the Investigation and Identification Team also continues its investigations into incidents in which chemical weapons were used or likely used. Drawing attention to the fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which will take place next week, she said the Conference is an important opportunity for States Parties to renew and strengthen their commitments to the Convention. Members of this Council must unite on this issue and show leadership in upholding the hard-won gains of that Convention, she underscored.
Statements
DMITRY A. POLYANSKIY (Russian Federation) emphasized that there has been no significant progress on the ground that would require the attention of the Council. The reason for today’s meeting is to allow Western delegations to repeat a series of anti-Syrian statements, he said, voicing concern that this “show” is affecting the Council’s credibility. By accusing Damascus of a lack of cooperation, the West is presenting groundless statements that there has been no progress on closing the Syrian chemical dossier. The understudy in this play is the OPCW Director-General, Fernando Arias, who not only has not visited the country, but also stated that he has no desire to do so. Moscow does not recognize the outcomes of the illegitimate Investigation and Identification Team established in violation of the principle of consensus and article 15 of the Chemical Weapons Convention. “Our Western colleagues play deaf and dumb when it suits them,” he asserted, noting that their only goal is to cover up the manipulations of the Technical Secretariat, especially regarding the 2015 sham incident in Duma. Meanwhile, he continued, OPCW has turned into “an obedient instrument in the hands of the West”.
ROBERT A. WOOD (United States) stressed that fulsome consultations with the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team remain necessary because Syria will not fully disclose and verifiably eliminate its chemical weapons programme. It has only been through that team’s diligent and thorough efforts that the regime has been forced to reveal on seven separate occasions more and more of its chemical weapons programme, he pointed out. Noting also the regime’s refusal to allow the lead technical expert to deploy to its territory, he said the Declaration Assessment Team is currently able to carry out only limited in-country activities, undermining the effectiveness of its visits. “Russia’s shameless shielding of Syria’s defiant behaviour enables the Assad regime and leaves the Syrian people facing the prospect of further chemical-weapons attacks,” he underscored. Condemning in the strongest possible terms Damascus’ repeated use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians, he called on the Syrian regime to amend its Chemical Weapons Convention declarations to make them accurate and complete and provide immediate and unfettered access to OPCW staff.
HAROLD ADLAI AGYEMAN (Ghana), also speaking for Gabon and Mozambique, reiterated commitment to the established norms against the use of chemical weapons, as well as support for all efforts to end their production, storage or use. Acknowledging the report on the limited in-country activities conducted by the reduced team deployed to Syria in January, he expressed concern about the slow pace of progress concerning efforts to eliminate that country’s chemical weapons programme. Calling for full cooperation from Syria, he said it must comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention and assist in resolving protracted issues, such as the declaration of all chemical weapons and their production facilities in the country’s possession, as well as the organization of the twenty-fifth round of consultations with the Assessment Team. Noting that the international community has a responsibility to protect humankind from such weapons, he underscored the need for a definite closure of the issues pertaining to the Syrian chemical weapons programme.
THOMAS PATRICK PHIPPS (United Kingdom), stressing that the Assad regime has repeatedly breached its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and resolution 2118 (2013), pointed to “undeniable and direct evidence of the Syrian State murdering its own civilians using chemical weapons on at least nine occasions”. This Council has failed to hold the regime to account for the use of these abhorrent weapons, he asserted, attributing this failure to the actions of one permanent member, which has itself used chemical weapons in recent years, including in the United Kingdom in 2018. OPCW has put exceptional amounts of resource into trying to help Syria resolve the outstanding issues regarding its initial declaration. Additionally, access for the organization’s staff remains restricted, and despite worrying findings by the Declaration Assessment Team, Syria and the Russian Federation’s denials continue. Against this backdrop, he called on Syria to give up all its chemical weapons, stop any banned activity and comply in full with OPCW. Until Syria has made meaningful progress on these issues, its chemical weapons programme is an ongoing threat to international peace and security that this Council needs to address, he emphasized.
ANDRES FIALLO (Ecuador) called once again for the prompt and diligent submission of the declarations and documents required by the Declaration Assessment Team, and the immediate and unrestricted access for staff appointed by the OPCW Technical Secretariat to all sites and places under investigation. Voicing regret about Syria’s exclusion of the leading technical expert from the Declaration Assessment Team as a precondition for carrying out the twenty-fifth round of consultations, he urged the Syrian authorities to establish effective and full cooperation to comply with its responsibilities stemming from the Chemical Weapons Convention and relevant Council resolutions. The Council must have access to the results of the reduced teams’ activities. Voicing support for OPCW’s work, as well as its technical teams’ integrity, impartiality, objectivity and independence, he reiterated the central importance of accountability as the best deterrent mechanism. Voicing his country’s opposition to the production and stockpiling of chemical weapons, he condemned the use of toxic chemical weapons and substances by anyone, against anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances.
SUN ZHIQIANG (China), opposing the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances, urged all countries who possess such weapons to destroy them as soon as possible. Dialogue and negotiation are the only way to resolve the Syrian chemical weapons issue, he stressed, highlighting its Government’s positive remarks on many occasions that it opposes the use of chemical weapons and is ready to work with OPCW to resolve outstanding issues. Despite its domestic security challenges, that country hosted a small team of members of the Declaration Assessment Team to conduct activities. This is a welcome development, he said, adding that the international community must acknowledge such willingness to cooperate and create an enabling environment for dialogue. Noting that the Syrian Government and the Technical Secretariat have different answers to some questions, he added that science and facts should be respected and both parties should uphold an objective and fair approach. Further, the Council must consider reducing the frequency of consideration of the Syrian chemical weapons issue or combine it with other dossiers, he added.
HAMAMOTO YUKIYA (Japan) deemed any use of chemical weapons unacceptable, stressing that those responsible for their use must be held accountable. For this purpose, he strongly supported OPCW and the ongoing work of the fact-finding mission and the Investigation and Identification Team in establishing the truth regarding the alleged instances of chemical weapons use and identifying the perpetrators. Syria’s chemical weapons use remains a threat to international peace and security, he said, voicing deep concern regarding the continuing discrepancies in that country’s initial and subsequent declarations. He commended the continued efforts undertaken by OPCW and its Technical Secretariat to address the second round of limited in-country activities conducted by the Declaration Assessment Team in Syria. Damascus should take the necessary steps to facilitate the holding of consultations with the Declaration Assessment Team, and refrain from making further excuses to impede the entry of the Team’s lead technical expert to its territory, he asserted, urging the country to completely eliminate its chemical weapons programme.
GUSTAVO SÉNÉCHAL DE GOFFREDO JUNIOR (Brazil) said that while the OPCW Director-General’s latest report provides little new information, his delegation is encouraged that the reduced team, which visited Syria early in 2023, delivered its report to OPCW States parties at the end of April. This visit and its subsequent report are important steps in rebuilding confidence between Syria and OPCW, he pointed out, voicing hope that those steps can serve as basis for further dialogue on a mutually acceptable arrangement for the full Declaration Assessment Team’s return to Syria in the near future. Moreover, the limited in-country activities report by the reduced Declaration Assessment Team gives hope that constructive thinking is still possible in this file, he observed, calling on Syria and OPCW to build on that experience by exploring new formats for high-level political dialogue, as well as for in-country activities by technical teams. He called for closer cooperation between OPCW and the United Nations, adding that cooperation both between Syria and OPCW and between Syria and the United Nations remains the best hope for closing “the so-called 'Syrian file’” and for preventing and deterring any future uses of those abominable weapons.
ISIS MARIE DORIANE JARAUD-DARNAULT (France) said that, almost a decade after the adoption of Council resolution 2118 (2013), the Syrian regime has still not shed light on its chemical weapon stocks. Expressing frustration with the lack of progress, she called on that country to authorize OPCW staff to deploy in Syria pursuant to their mandate. The restrictions that have been imposed on the deployment of the initial Assessment Team are unacceptable, she said, adding that the limited deployment of OPCW teams in Syria, such as during April, are not a viable alternative. Syria must stop undermining the work of the Technical Secretariat, she said, commending the OPCW Secretariat for pursuing its investigatory work rigorously and professionally. There can be no impunity for war criminals, she said, adding that combating impunity underpins the effectiveness and credibility of the prohibition regime.
ARIAN SPASSE (Albania) cited as “troubling and deplorable” that, 10 years after the adoption of resolution 2118 (2013), the international community still has not seen any evidence of Syria having destroyed its chemical weapons programme. He welcomed the publication of the third report of the Investigation and Identification Team, which concludes that the Syrian Air Force has used chemical weapons on 7 April 2018, in Douma, killing 43 people. Pointing to nine instances of the use of chemical weapons independently attributed to the Syrian regime by the United Nations and OPCW mechanisms, he condemned in the strongest terms the repeated use of these atrocious weapons. Syria continues to put unreasonable conditions on the consultations with the Declaration Assessment Team and asks to exclude the main technical expert from the Team, contrary to its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and resolution 2118 (2013). He deplored Syria’s non-cooperative approach with the OPCW Technical Secretariat, adding that the country is playing for time in the hope that the issue of the use of chemical weapons will fade from the Council’s agenda.
DARREN CAMILLERI (Malta), noting that OPCW investigations have concluded Syria’s use of chemical weapons against its own people on nine occasions, stressed that such acts are completely indefensible, and perpetrators cannot and must not go unpunished. Noting an unfortunate pattern in Syria’s continued failure to fully cooperate with OPCW, he voiced regret that Syria continues to impose limitations on the composition of the Declaration Assessment Team, which has prevented the twenty-fifth round of consultations. The full Declaration Assessment Team should be able to deploy as soon as possible for this purpose, he underscored. He voiced hope that an agenda for the proposed meeting between the OPCW Director-General and the Foreign Minister of Syria can be agreed on as soon as possible. He encouraged the renewed extension of the Tripartite Agreement, due to expire on 30 June, among OPCW, UNOPS and Syria. It is only through Syria’s meaningful cooperation with OPCW that the complete and verifiable elimination of its chemical weapons programme can be ensured, he stressed.
GHASAQ YOUSIF ABDALLA SHAHEEN (United Arab Emirates), highlighting the decision to readmit Syria to the League of Arab States, said this will help promote Arab solutions to Arab crises while restoring security and stability to the region. Expressing the hope that this will pave the way for a solution to the Syrian crisis through a clear Arab approach, she reaffirmed the need for a meaningful dialogue between OPCW and Syria. Calling on the Council to “embody a spirit of cooperation”, she reminded delegates of OPCW’s technical and foundational principles, which include consensus and non-politicization. On the visit of the reduced team to Syria in April, she stressed the importance of moving forward with holding comprehensive consultations between the two parties. “There is no reason not to proceed with this step,” she said. Also highlighting the threat of chemical terrorism, she noted that Da’esh continues to launch attacks that pose serious threats to the security of Syria and warned that it will not hesitate to use any weapons or means to reestablish its control. Further, the Council must examine the effectiveness of recurring meetings on the Syrian chemical file, especially when there are no real developments, she said. It should look into holding meetings on this issue every three months as needed, she proposed.
PASCALE CHRISTINE BAERISWYL (Switzerland), Council President for May, speaking in her national capacity, welcomed the fact that, for the second time in 2023, representatives of the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team were able to visit Syria. Reiterating that Syria must provide immediate and unhindered access to OPCW personnel — including the right to inspect all sites — she cited that country’s obstruction of the visits of the full Declaration Assessment Team as a serious breach of the obligations contained in resolution 2118 (2013). She condemned the repeated use of chemical weapons in Syria, which has severely affected civilians, including children, noting that the use of such weapons is prohibited and can — in armed conflict — constitute war crimes. For the sake of collective security, it is essential to fight impunity for such crimes by identifying, prosecuting and punishing those responsible. In this regard, she welcomed the formal cooperation between OPCW and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria.
BASSAM SABBAGH (Syria) condemned once again the use of chemical weapons at anytime, anywhere, by whomever and under any circumstances, recalling that, in 2013, his country acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention and was committed to implementing it even before it entered into force in Syria. He said the Syrian National Authority submitted its monthly report no. 112 in March, and no. 113 in April, on the implementation of the OPCW Executive Council’s decision dated 15 November 2013. Regarding the work of the Declaration Assessment Team, he clarified that the Syrian initial declaration was submitted in a short period of time, relying on limited experience. For this reason, this team came to help Syria, with its consent, to make its initial declaration consistent with the Convention’s provisions, he said, underscoring that the Declaration Assessment Team thus cannot and must not be considered an inspection team in any way. During the visits to Syria of the reduced team of the Declaration Assessment Team in January and April, the Syrian National Authority provided all the necessary cooperation to ensure the success of the team’s work, he added, underscoring that the reduced team undertook all its activities in a way not different from previous rounds. He asked why the OPCW’s Technical Secretariat continues to refuse the twenty-fifth round of consultations and wondered whether its aim is to provide a pretext for false accusations of non-cooperation to be made against his country.
Regarding the inspection activities at the Scientific Studies and Research Center, he said the inspection team’s report was issued in March on its ninth round conducted in September 2022, which indicates his country’s cooperation and the inspection team’s ability to implement objectives entrusted to it. Regrettably, the OPCW Director-General’s monthly report as well as the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs’ briefing did not refer to the results of the report of this ninth round, nor the results of the report of the inspection team in its eighth round, he added, questioning the impartiality and balance of the Director-General’s reports. Syria looks forward to the holding of the high-level meeting between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Syria and the OPCW Director-General as soon as possible, after an agreement on its agenda is reached. The fact-finding mission must reform its working methods, address its serious defects and make its reports professional and impartial, he said, adding that his country still awaits the mission’s reports on the incidents that Syria reported on. Underscoring the need to respect the balance between the rights and obligations of States parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, he said the responsibility for correcting this deviation rests on the States parties, so that the Technical Secretariat becomes an impartial tool in the implementation of the Convention.
AMIR SAEID IRAVANI (Iran) said that, “as the main victim of chemical weapons”, his country strongly condemns the use of such weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. Iranian people will never forget the role that some Western countries played in assisting the regime of Saddam Hussein in the systematic use of chemical weapons during Iraq’s imposed war against Iran. Due to its double standards, the Council was unable to carry out its duties to hold perpetrators accountable for such atrocious crimes. He voiced concern that these detrimental practices continue to persist, as evidenced by the politicization of the Convention and OPCW for short-sighted political gain. Such an approach not only risks creating divisions among Member States, but also undermines the legitimacy of the disarmament machinery. The Syrian Government has continued its constructive cooperation with OPCW, he said, pointing to its submission of the 112th and 113th monthly reports to the OPCW Director-General, outlining its activities related to the destruction of chemical weapons and their production facilities. Moreover, a reduced team from the Declaration Assessment Team visited Syria twice — in January and April — he observed, adding that the Syrian Government provided the necessary facilitation to ensure the success of the work of this team. Also, consultations took place between the two sides, and many aspects related to some outstanding issues were discussed, facilitating the visit of some sites, collecting samples and interviewing witnesses. Expressing support for constructive dialogue between Syria and OPCW, he emphasized that any investigation must be impartial and fully comply with the Convention’s procedures.
CEREN HANDE ÖZGÜR (Türkiye), stressing the Syrian regime’s commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention, as well as Council resolution 2118 (2013), said Damascus is obliged to not develop, produce, transfer or use chemical weapons. However, the reports of the investigative bodies mandated by the United Nations and OPCW have established the regime’s responsibility in nine chemical weapons attacks in Syria, both before and after the date on which the regime became a party to the Convention. Expressing concern that it was not possible to hold the next round of consultations between the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team and the Syrian Government for over two years now, because of the regime’s objection to the composition of the delegation, she also noted that Syria has not submitted the pending declarations and other documents requested by that Team since 2019. Stressing that all these are violations of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, she called for full cooperation from the regime and accountability for its actions.