UN hails major breakthrough in efforts to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons legacy

The UN on Thursday welcomed a “significant” breakthrough in efforts to uncover and eliminate the remnants of Syria‘s chemical weapons program, following the discovery of previously undeclared chemical weapons-related materials by inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Briefing the UN Security Council, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said cooperation between the OPCW and Syria’s current government had produced substantial progress since the council’s last meeting on the issue.

“Since the council’s last meeting on this matter, the OPCW and the Syrian Arab Republic have continued to engage on how to eliminate any remnants of the chemical weapons program developed by the previous government,” Nakamitsu said.

She said that Syria’s current authorities have been working closely with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to clarify the full scope of the chemical weapons program established under the previous Bashar Assad regime and to ensure long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

“Given the significant and longstanding challenges to overcome in these efforts, I welcome the continued cooperation on this important work, and I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made since the council’s last meeting,” she said.

According to Nakamitsu, a team from the OPCW’s Office of Special Missions was deployed to Syria in early May to advance efforts to establish a “complete and accurate” inventory of any remaining elements of the chemical weapons program deployed by the al-Assad regime.

Although the mission was still underway when the OPCW’s latest monthly report was finalized, inspectors had already uncovered what the organization described as a “significant” quantity of undeclared chemical weapons-related materials and documentation.

“The findings include dozens of chemical munitions previously undeclared to the OPCW, including the same type of aerial bombs,” Nakamitsu said.

She described the discoveries as a landmark achievement with implications extending beyond Syria.

“These findings are a momentous discovery, not just for Syria, but for international security and the global disarmament regime,” she said.

Nakamitsu credited the breakthrough to years of work by OPCW officials seeking to uncover the full extent of Syria’s chemical weapons activities and ensure their elimination in accordance with international law. She also praised the efforts of Security Council members who have consistently called for cooperation and accountability, as well as the commitment shown by Syria’s current government and personnel working on the ground.

The UN disarmament chief reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting international efforts to eradicate chemical weapons and uphold the global prohibition against their use.