UN / SYRIA CHEMICAL WEAPONS

The members of the Security Council welcomed the progress made in the area of the total elimination of chemical weapons outside Syria. At the same time, they expressed their concern regarding the need of the destruction of twelve residual fabrication facilities. UNIFEED-UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:47
• Production Date: 3 December 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: ORGANISATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS - OPCW
• Subject Topical: CHEMICAL INDUSTRY; PHARMACEUTICALS; CHEMICAL WEAPONS
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 1256945

Description

STORY: UN / SYRIA CHEMICAL WEAPONS
TRT: 2:47
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 03 DECEMBER 2014, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT

Shotlist

RECENT – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters

03 DECEMBER 2014, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Chadian ambassador walking to stakeout position
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Mahamat Zene Cherif, Permanent Representative of Chad and President of the Security Council for the month of December:
“The members of the Security Council welcomed the progress made in the area of the total elimination of chemical weapons outside Syria. At the same time, they expressed their concern regarding the need of the destruction of twelve residual fabrication facilities.”
4. Med shot, journalist asking questions
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Mahamat Zene Cherif, Permanent Representative of Chad and President of the Security Council for the month of December:
“They also underlined the need of the presentation to the Members of the Security Council of the third OPCW fact-finding report on the use of chlorine gas and other chemical substances.”
6. Med shot, Chadian ambassador walks away and greets Syrian ambassador
7. Wide shot, Syrian ambassador walks to stakeout position
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Bashar Ja'afari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations:
“The destruction process of the twelve empty production facilities –which are as I said seven hangars and five tunnels – is scheduled to begin later this month with the destruction of the first tunnel and the destruction process of the twelve facilities is supposed to finish by the end of June 2015.”
9. Med shot, journalist asking questions
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Bashar Ja'afari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations:
“These twelve production facilities are empty. So, here we are talking about empty hangars and empty tunnels. We are not talking about anything specific related to the previous Syrian chemical program because there is no –anymore- any Syrian chemical program.”
11. Med shot, journalist asking questions
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Bashar Ja'afari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations:
“For us, the political aspect of the consultations and deliberations and negotiations is over. I mean the part related to the Security Council’s business is over. So, all the technicalities should be dealt with accordingly in The Hague by the OPCW with the cooperation of course of the Syrian Government since Syria has become a full-fledged member of the OPCW.”
13. Wide shot, Syrian ambassador walks away

Storyline

The members of the Security Council welcomed the progress made in the area of the total elimination of chemical weapons outside Syria. At the same time, they expressed their concern regarding the need of the destruction of twelve residual fabrication facilities.

In a close meeting, Special Adviser Sigrid Kaag porvided provided today (03 Dec) her last briefing to Council members on the implementation of resolution 2118, which required the verification and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons. On 1 December Kaag was appointed as the Special Coordinator for Lebanon.

Speaking to the press, the current president of the Security Council Chadian ambassador Mahamat Zene Cherif said Council members “also underlined the need of the presentation to the Members of the Security Council of the third OPCW fact-finding report on the use of chlorine gas and other chemical substances.”

Also speaking to reporters outside the Security Council, Syrian ambassador Bashar Ja'afari explained that the destruction process of the twelve empty production facilities –seven hangars and five tunnels – is scheduled to begin later this month, adding that the destruction process of the twelve facilities is supposed to finish by the end of June 2015.

Ja’afari stressed “these twelve production facilities are empty. So, here we are talking about empty hangars and empty tunnels. We are not talking about anything specific related to the previous Syrian chemical program because there is no –anymore- any Syrian chemical program.”

He also said “for us, the political aspect of the consultations and deliberations and negotiations is over. I mean the part related to the Security Council’s business is over.”

The Syrian diplomat added “ all the technicalities should be dealt with accordingly in The Hague by the OPCW with the cooperation of course of the Syrian Government since Syria has become a full-fledged member of the OPCW.”

Divisions remain within the Council over the government’s use of chlorine bombs. The US has said such allegations raise serious questions about Syria’s obligations under resolution 2118 and the Chemical Weapons Convention, whereas Russia has argued that The Hague, not the Security Council, would be the appropriate arena to address any alleged breaches of the Chemical Weapons Convention.