He delivered the latest monthly briefing on engagement between Syria and the UN partner, which began more than a decade ago after a sarin nerve gas attack in the suburbs of the capital, Damascus, that killed hundreds of people.
In response, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2118 (2013), which called for the rapid implementation of procedures developed by the OPCW “for the rapid destruction” of Syria’s verified chemical weapons program.
Seek clarification, ensure compliance
Ebo recalled that since 2014, the OPCW Technical Secretariat has not been able to confirm that the declaration presented by the previous government was accurate and complete because it contained insufficient and inaccurate information.
Experts were concerned about the large quantities of potentially undeclared or unverified chemical warfare agents and chemical munitions.
“The new Syrian government has been working with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to obtain clarifications on the full scope of the program developed” during the Assad regime, so that it can comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention, he said.
The OPCW oversees the implementation of the 1992 treaty aimed at eliminating this entire category of weapons of mass destruction.
Site visits
The latest report from the Technical Secretariat highlighted that, in addition to the 26 declared chemical weapons sites in Syria, the information received suggests that More than 100 other sites may have been involved. in the previous government’s activities related to chemical weapons.
Teams plan to visit all of these locations, taking into account safety and other considerations.
Since last March, the teams have visited 19 locations, four of which had already been previously declared. They also conducted interviews with former chemical weapons experts and collected six samples and more than 6,000 documents.
Further deployments are being planned, including the possibility of visiting several high-priority chemical weapons sites in the coastal and northern areas near Latakia.
International support needed
Mr. Ebo also highlighted other recent concrete measures, including the reestablishment of a continuous presence of the OPCW Mission in Syria.
He reminded the Council that significant challenges remain and that the continued support of the entire international community will be essential to efforts to rid the country of all chemical weapons.
In November, the Director-General of the OPCW wrote to members of its Executive Council transmitting a needs and gap assessment that will inform countries and other parties willing to offer support.
“I have been informed that the OPCW Technical Secretariat has been supporting and advising the Syrian Arab Republic and other States Parties… Destruction may need to be carried out on site when conditions require it,” he said.
The Executive Council recently approved the measure, which is a positive step forward, he added.
‘A critical opportunity’
Ebo told the ambassadors that the Technical Secretariat remains committed to fulfilling its mandate to verify Syria’s full implementation of all declaration requirements under the Convention, decisions of the OPCW policy-making bodies and Security Council resolutions.
“I would also like to reiterate that The commitment of the new Government of Syria to cooperate fully and transparently with the OPCW Technical Secretariat is welcome and commendable.”he added, while praising the Syrian teams working in the big ones with great physical risk.
“As I have previously stressed, there is now a critical opportunity to obtain long-awaited clarifications on the full extent of Syria’s chemical weapons program and to rid the country of all chemical weapons,” he continued.
He again urged Council members to “come together and show leadership to provide the support this unprecedented effort will require.”