Syria’s Declaration on Chemical Weapons Programme ‘Cannot Be Considered Accurate’, Disarmament Chief Tells Security Council, Citing Gaps, Inconsistencies
Syria’s reported destruction or conversion of large quantities of chemical warfare agents and munitions prior to its accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention still cannot be fully verified, the United Nations’ disarmament chief told the Security Council today, noting that the unresolved 19 issues in the country’s declaration with respect to the elimination of its chemical weapons programme remain a serious concern.
“I reiterate that this is extremely worrying” underscored Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, emphasizing that the substance of the unresolved issues also “involves potentially large quantities of chemical warfare agents, the production of which has not been declared by the Syrian Arab Republic” to the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
She noted that, as previously reported, the total of 26 outstanding issues raised by the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team include two recently opened outstanding issues related to potentially undeclared full-scale development and production of chemical weapons at two declared chemical weapons-related facilities, which were previously declared as having never been in operation.
Detailing the continued efforts of her Office and OPCW to clarify all outstanding issues regarding Syria’s initial and subsequent declarations, she reported that the Declaration Assessment Team continues to analyse the information gathered from the documents and other information provided by Syria and its experts during its twenty‑eighth round of consultations with the Syrian National Authority held between 10 and 18 September. The Declaration Assessment Team is also awaiting Syria’s response to its 1 November note verbale requesting the identification, among the more than 1,000 pages of information submitted during the consultations, of those elements relevant to the explanations it had provided.
The OPCW Technical Secretariat will report on the outcome of the eleventh round of inspections of the Barzah and Jamrayah facilities of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre, which took place from 12 to 20 November, she said. It is planning for the twelfth round to take place before the end of 2024, she added, during which it will further engage with Syria to resolve the issues related to the presence of a Schedule 2 chemical in the sample collected during the November 2018 inspection, and to the origin and usage of a chemical of dual-use nature observed by the inspection team during the September 2022 inspection.
“Considering the identified gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies that remain unresolved, at this time the OPCW Technical Secretariat assesses that the declaration submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic still cannot be considered accurate and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention,” she underscored. She called on Syria to cooperate with the Technical Secretariat and respond with urgency to all of its requests and urged Council members to “unite and show leadership in demonstrating that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable”.
“Chemical weapons have turned the lives of Syrians into hell,” said Nidal Shikhani, Director General of the Chemical Violations Documentation Center of Syria, reporting that his organization has recorded “262 chemical weapons uses” which have killed 3,423 and injured around 14,000 civilians. The use of such weapons has led to deformed childbirths and psychological trauma to the victims, the death of animals and the destruction of soil.
Noting his organization’s provision of support to OPCW and its investigative teams, he said its gathering of “thousands of documented evidence which cannot be challenged” aimed to prove that “chemical weapons were used for hostile purposes”. Moreover, its work to identify those involved and the chain of command contributed to ensuring the rights of victims and strengthening the capacity of State parties to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention.
“Chlorine was used in different occasions and locations, and it continued for five years,” he said, adding that serine used in “Douma and Al-Lataminah” matched the declared Syrian stock. “Such violations prove the continued manipulation of the Syrian Arab Republic with OPCW”, he stressed, criticizing Syria for its “policy of procrastination” and non-fulfilment of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and Council resolutions.
He called for urgent and firm international action to address chemical weapons issues and urged the Council to “think outside the box and adopt new strategies”. He further called on countries supporting the Syrian regime to stop protecting it and stressed that an independent judicial entity with a global mandate must be established to hold accountable those involved in the use of chemical weapons.
In the ensuing debate, delegates once again voiced concern about the lack of progress on the chemical weapons file and called on Syria to cooperate with OPCW. They also voiced concern about the deteriorating security situation in the country and underscored the urgency of resolving the outstanding issues.
A few speakers, however, questioned the impartiality of OPCW’s work and the presence of today’s civil society briefer, as well as others in recent Council briefings, whom they said are invited to advance the interests of the United States. Among them was the Russian Federation’s representative who also averred that today’s debate featured nothing “fundamentally new”, with the OPCW Secretariat complying with the West’s orders “to taint Syria and its allies”. However, OPCW continues to ignore Syria’s efforts to cooperate, despite being stripped of its rights under the Chemical Weapons Convention, he said, underscoring that, in the past 11 years, 150 technical meetings had been held, 45 site visits conducted and 180 samples taken. Syria’s good faith efforts are always insufficient for the West. He went on to characterize the United States delegation as “lame ducks” striving in the last month to cement the priorities of the outgoing administration of [President Joseph R.] Biden, including its anti-Syria policies, which OPCW is complicit in — in New York and The Hague.
However, the delegate of the United States, Council President for December, spoke in his national capacity and stressed that “the Security Council must remain seized of the Syrian chemical weapons dossier” — a point echoed later by Japan’s representative. He further warned that it is in situations like the one unfolding in Syria today — “when the Assad regime feels most at risk” — when it previously unleashed chemical weapons on its people. He called on all Member States to implement without delay the recommended collective measures called for in the decision by the OPCW Conference of the States Parties in 2023, including those aiming to prevent the transfer to Syria of certain dual-use chemicals and equipment. His Russian counterpart’s statement was “right out of the Russian playbook” to refute the legitimacy of international bodies’ findings. Pointing to the efforts of a very small group of States who prefer to hide the truth about the Assad regime’s repeated use of chemical weapons against its people, he stressed: “The perpetrators of these acts will not be able to hide. They will be held accountable.”
“It is past time for the regime to comply with its obligations under Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), cooperate with the OPCW Technical Secretariat and fully declare its chemical weapons programme. Only then can we consign Syrian chemical weapons to history,” underscored the United Kingdom’s delegate in agreement. Amid high tensions in the Middle East, “Syria’s undeclared chemical weapons are an unacceptable risk,” she stressed.
Slovenia’s delegate, highlighting the unfolding situation in Aleppo, said that chemical weapons have been used in that city before. “The world is watching and so must this Council,” she added. The Republic of Korea’s representative added that the lack of Syria’s full verification of its declaration “leaves substantial quantities of chemical weapons unaccounted for, posing a significant threat to regional and global security as territorial losses quickly exacerbate the power vacuum”.
Several other delegations, including France and Japan, also called on Damascus to cooperate. Switzerland’s representative appealed for “verifiable and scientifically plausible answers” to outstanding issues and rejected any attempts to discredit OPCW’s work. Malta’s representative said that Syria has continued to obstruct the work of OPCW, including by denying access to some of its personnel and by delaying the process. Ecuador’s delegate, expressing concern that OPCW’s findings point to the use of chemical weapons by both State and non-State actors, called for thorough and impartial investigations to ensure that those responsible face the consequences of their actions.
“Damascus continues to fail to provide a full and transparent account of its chemical weapons programme,” echoed Türkiye’s speaker later in the meeting, recalling that his delegation co-sponsored the decision on Syria taken at the twenty-eighth session of the OPCW Conference of the States Parties. The elimination of chemical weapons must be accompanied by a genuine commitment to advancing Syria’s political process, and a national reconciliation based on justice and inclusivity, he stressed.
Several delegations, however, voiced support for Syria’s constructive engagement. Algeria’s delegate, also speaking for Guyana, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, welcomed progress achieved by Syria, noting that “in terms of the overall figure for destruction, 100 per cent of declared chemical weapons had been destroyed [as] of 7 July 2023”. Commending the ongoing collaboration between that country and the Technical Secretariat, he said the continuation of this successful cooperation is necessary to close this file permanently.
China’s delegate, similarly, welcomed the twenty‑eighth round of consultations between Damascus and OPCW in September and encouraged both parties to resolve outstanding issues through mutual cooperation. Echoing concerns about today’s second briefer, he voiced hope that arrangements will be made through consensus going forward. Iran’s delegate underlined the need for OPCW’s impartiality and its “non-discriminatory implementation” of the Chemical Weapons Convention, and spotlighted Syria’s compliance “having destroyed its chemical weapons stockpiles and production facilities”. Noting Israel’s use of phosphorus bombs against civilians in Gaza and southern Lebanon, he stressed that such acts call for the Council’s condemnation, and for an investigation by OPCW.
“Syria has fulfilled all its obligations according to the Chemical Weapons Convention and destroyed fully its stockpile of chemical weapons and production facilities,” declared Syria’s representative, detailing its cooperation with OPCW, including the extension of the Tripartite Agreement between Syria, OPCW and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for an additional six months as of 31 December. He echoed the Russian Federation’s concern about the objectivity of the Council’s briefers and, noting that OPCW’s monthly reports continue “to politicize accusations against my country” in line with Western countries’ views, said the Technical Secretariat disregarded Syria’s cooperation and rushed to raise two new issues in July. The politicization of OPCW disregards real threats to regional peace and security and to the non-proliferation regime, he warned, pointing to Israel’s stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Everything promoted by the United States and its allies is part of its attempts to manipulate this file using an unprofessional and biased approach. He reiterated his demand that the Technical Secretariat adopt a neutral, objective and professional approach to allow the immediate resolution of all pending matters and to stop the political manipulation of the file and close it permanently.
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