During the recent Security Council meeting on June 11, 2024, member states evaluated the Syrian regime’s cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) concerning the chemical weapons dossier, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2118 of 2013.
High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, stated that the Syrian regime has not been cooperative with the OPCW, emphasizing that the organization is “fully committed” to its mandate to verify Syria’s compliance with its declared obligations under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.
Nakamitsu urged the Syrian regime and all relevant parties to fully cooperate to resolve and close all outstanding issues related to chemical weapons in Syria.
Several Security Council members expressed concern that Syria’s declaration under the Chemical Weapons Convention remains incomplete. They highlighted the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2118 in 2013 and stressed the necessity of holding those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria accountable to prevent their future use.
The United Kingdom’s representative stated that the Syrian regime still possesses chemical weapons, noting that thousands of munitions and hundreds of tons of chemical substances remain unaccounted for. She added that sample analyses collected from two sites in April 2023 indicate ongoing undeclared processing and production activities in Syria.
The UK representative expressed deep concern over these developments and called on the Syrian regime to halt the development of its chemical weapons program.
Referring to the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons, including sarin and chlorine, against its own people nine times after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, the UK representative asserted that “failure to hold Syria accountable would undermine the international non-proliferation framework,” pointing out that independent international investigations have so far attributed four instances of chemical weapon use to ISIS.
France’s representative stated that the Syrian regime’s declaration of destroying its chemical weapons stockpile “cannot be considered accurate or complete,” as the regime has continued to use chemical weapons against its people over the past decade, violating its commitments under the convention.
Malta’s representative highlighted ongoing concerns about “unexpected” chemicals collected by the Declaration Assessment Team (as mentioned in the latest OPCW report), deeming Syria’s failure to declare and destroy all its chemical stockpiles as “unacceptable.”
Japan’s representative emphasized that “the use of chemical weapons should never be tolerated anywhere, anytime, by anyone, under any circumstances,” asserting that holding those who used chemical weapons accountable and delivering justice for the victims is a shared responsibility of the international community.
Algeria’s representative expressed concern over the slow progress in closing the chemical weapons dossier in Syria, urging the Syrian regime to declare all its chemical weapons and production facilities, organize the next round of consultations with the Declaration Assessment Team, and resolve outstanding issues.
South Korea’s representative stressed the importance of not leaving chemical weapon use cases unresolved to ensure perpetrators are not exempt from punishment for the international crime, calling on the Security Council not to close the chemical weapons dossier until all questions are answered, all chemical weapon programs are destroyed, and such destruction is rigorously verified.
Turkey’s representative reported serious concerns about unexpected chemicals found in previously collected samples from Syria, asserting that due to remaining inconsistencies, Syria’s declaration of its chemical weapon stockpile disposal cannot be considered “accurate.”
China’s representative underscored the importance of dialogue on outstanding issues related to these weapons in Syria, welcoming the upcoming 27th round of consultations scheduled in Damascus between the Declaration Assessment Team and Syrian authorities, and expressed China’s “firm opposition” to the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, for any reason, hoping for a world free of chemical weapons.
Ecuador’s representative called for transparent dialogue and “good faith” cooperation between “Syrian authorities” and the OPCW as the “best means to achieve results and accountability.”
In contrast, Syria’s representative in the Security Council highlighted the regime’s cooperation with the OPCW, claiming that “Western countries” continue to politicize this dossier, regretting that the OPCW’s report “repeats baseless accusations and ignores Syria’s cooperation while prejudging the results of sample analyses.”
Iran’s representative pointed to the Syrian regime’s ongoing cooperation and expressed disappointment that a certain group of countries continues to politicize the Syrian chemical weapons dossier.
Russia’s representative stated that the council should focus on more relevant topics, adding that the latest Security Council meeting was “just another way for Western countries to push their anti-Syria rhetoric.”
Algeria chemical_attack_syria chemical_weapons China France Japan Malta opcw Security Council South Korea syria Turkey UK UN United Nations
