UN / SYRIA KAAG

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Sigrid Kaag as special coordinator of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission and on Syria he said the situation remains dangerous and unpredictable, adding “we have no illusions about the challenges ahead.” UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:19
• Production Date: 16 October 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: ORGANISATION FOR THE PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS - OPCW
• Subject Topical: DISARMAMENT; CHEMICAL WEAPONS
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: U131016d

Description

STORY: UN / SYRIA KAAG
TRT: 2.19
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 16 OCTOBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

16 OCTOBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and on Syria Sigrid Kaag walk up to the podium
3. Wide shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“I have appointed Mrs. Sigrid Kaag as a Special Coordinator for the joint mission of the United Nations and OPCW on eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons programme.”
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“Her role includes insuring access and security for the OPCW inspectors as well as logistical, communications, medical, administrative and policy support, areas where the United Nations is uniquely capable of contributing. Mrs. Kaag will also have to coordinate the provision of international assistance to complete the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme in accordance to the decisions of the Security Council and OPCW Executive Council.”
7. Wide shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“We have no illusions on the challenges ahead. The situation in Syria remains dangerous and unpredictable. The cooperation of all parties in Syria is required. The humanitarian situation is worsening. The statement issued by the President of the Security Council two weeks ago called on all parties to end the violence and stop targeting civilians. It is vital to turn those strong words into action.”
9. Med shot, journalists
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission on Syria:
“I am deeply honoured and I am mostly humbled to be entrusted with this very complex and challenging assignment. I will be travelling to The Hague on Friday evening for first consultations and guidance and discussions with the Director–General of the OPCW. That may be our first opportunity then to have an encounter with the media, and obviously we need your full support as the Secretary-General has outlined.”

Storyline

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today (16 October) the appointment of Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands as Special Coordinator of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-United Nations Joint Mission to eliminate the chemical weapons programme of the Syrian Arab Republic.

The appointment has been made in close consultations with OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü.

The Secretary-General told reporters that Kaag’ role includes “insuring access and security for the OPCW inspectors as well as logistical, communications, medical, administrative and policy support, areas where the United Nations is uniquely capable of contributing.”

Ban said that Kaag “will also have to coordinate the provision of international assistance to complete the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme in accordance to the decisions of the Security Council and OPCW Executive Council.”

The establishment of the Joint Mission and the appointment of the Special Coordinator are based on the Secretary-General’s recommendations, formulated after close consultations with the OPCW Director-General, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2118, as outlined in letters from the Secretary-General to the President of the Council dated 7 and 13 October 2013 and subsequent letters of the President of 11 and 16 October 2013.

The Secretary-General said “we have no illusions on the challenges ahead” as the situation in Syria “remains dangerous and unpredictable.”

He stressed that the humanitarian situation was “worsening” and noting that the statement issued by the President of the Security Council two weeks ago called on all parties to end the violence and stop targeting civilians, said it was “vital to turn those strong words into action.”

Kaag told reporters she was “deeply honoured” and “mostly humbled to be entrusted with this very complex and challenging assignment.”

She noted she will be travelling to The Hague on Friday evening for first consultations and with Director–General Üzümcü.

Currently serving as Assistant Secretary-General of the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Kaag brings with her a wealth of experience in international organizations and the diplomatic service combined with country experience notably in the Middle East region.

Meanwhile, the joint team from the OPCW and the United Nations has now conducted verification activities at a total of 11 sites that are identified in Syria’s disclosure.

Activities have also included overseeing the destruction of critical equipment at six sites, as well as some destruction of unloaded chemical weapons munitions.