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Permanent Representative Cites Iraq Invasion, Support for Israel’s Arms Programme, in Response to Critics of Damascus Efforts
Reporting that Syria missed an October deadline to respond to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on the country’s reported use and stockpiling of such weapons, the senior United Nations disarmament official urged today that the Security Council end its divisions on the critical matter and act to resolve it.
“Those who have used chemical weapons must be identified and held to account” emphasized Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, during the regular monthly briefing on the implementation of resolution 2118 (2013). That measure requires the verification and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. “It is my sincere hope that members of this Council will unite on this issue,” she said.
Briefing via video teleconference, she introduced the 26 October report of the OPCW (document S/2020/1056), noting that, since her last briefing, the Office for Disarmament Affairs has not received any further information from Syria concerning issues related to the resolution. On 14 October, the Director-General of OPCW issued a report that states that the Syrian Arab Republic did not meet a 90-day deadline to provide missing information, she recalled. Due to unresolved gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies, the OPCW technical secretariat has assessed that Syria’s initial declaration of the elimination of all chemical weapons in its possession cannot be considered accurate and complete.
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact deployment to Syria, the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team visited Damascus and collected samples to replace those taken during its previous deployment, she said, adding that it also engaged in discussions on outstanding issues. Reminding Council members that efforts to resolve such issues have been ongoing since 2014, she said the OPCW technical secretariat still plans to conduct two rounds of inspections at the Barzah and Jamrayah facilities of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre in 2020. Maintaining that Syria still has not yet provided sufficient information to close the issue of the detection of a toxic chemical at the Barzah facilities, she also pointed out that the investigation by the OPCW fact-finding mission on the use of chemical weapons in Aleppo in 2018 is still inconclusive due to information gaps.
Following that briefing, delegations reiterated their condemnation of the use of chemical weapons in any situation whatsoever. Most speakers strongly supported OPCW and the credibility of its investigations into the use and stockpiling of chemical weapons in Syria, urging that country to cooperate completely with the organization and provide it with the information it needs.
The United Kingdom’s representative and others also condemned the use of nerve agents against individuals and called upon the Russian Federation to credibly investigate allegations under the Chemical Convention.
On the other hand, some representatives — including those of the Russian Federation, China, Syria and Iran — while also condemning any use or stockpiling of chemical weapons, said the issue has been politicized as an attack on the Government of Syria. Arguing that evidence supporting Syria’s claims to have eliminated its chemical weapons and to be in full compliance with the OPCW is being ignored, they called for impartiality and inclusiveness on the part of the OPCW investigative units. Concerning the use of nerve agents against individuals, the Russian Federation’s representative said that matter too has been politicized, adding that his country is working with OPCW on the matter.
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