I thank the High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu and the OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias for their briefings. We appreciate your participation today and for the opportunity to have a transparent and open discussion with you about the progress in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme.
Indeed, the latest – the ninety-second – monthly report of the Director-General raises several concerns, reflecting very little progress, if not even regress, in the efforts to close the gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies in the initial declaration. There are unanswered questions pertaining to a former chemical weapons production facility; a new outstanding issue has been opened with regard to a finding of a neat chemical warfare agent; sufficient explanation is still lacking with regard to the detection of Schedule 2.B chemical at the Barzah facilities.
These are not just minor technical or theoretical issues, but indicate that Syria has not declared and destroyed all of its chemical weapons and their production facilities and continues to pose threat to international peace and security. The IIT’s second report, that confirmed altogether now the eighth instance of chemical weapons use by the Syrian regime, is the latest reminder of that.
There is no hiding the facts that there are serious shortcomings in the Syrian cooperation with the OPCW. It is regretful that the deployment of the Declaration Assessment Team for the next round of consultations are on hold pending Syria’s response. Given the seriousness of the outstanding issues, we hope that the consultations between the OPCW and Syria can take place soon.
Colleagues, we should not forget that chemical weapons are a particularly gruesome and indiscriminate type of warfare. This is why they were comprehensively outlawed by the Chemical Weapons Convention. This is why in resolution 2118 the Security Council determined that the use of chemical weapons anywhere and by anyone constitutes a threat to international peace and security and expressed its strong conviction that those individuals responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be held accountable. The Security Council must live up to its words. Impunity, tolerance and inaction cannot be an option when chemical weapons are used against civilian populations.
I will conclude by expressing Estonia’s full support to the professional and impartial work of the OPCW Technical Secretariat, to its leadership and experts. For the past seven years, they have been under intense scrutiny, but have shown nothing less but integrity and dedication to the task of upholding the norm against the use of chemical weapons.
- I have a couple of questions as well to Mr Arias:
- Several of our colleagues have already raised the question of cooperation. The fact is that after seven years the Syrian declaration remains open. My question is what are the main obstacles that prohibit making tangible progress in solving the outstanding issues of the declaration?
- My second question pertains to the accusations and notifications of terrorist use of chemical weapons by Syria. Can you walk us through how are these notifications dealt with by the OPCW and what have been the outcomes?