Al -Shaibani: Syria is ready to get rid of the remaining chemical weapons

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Al -Shibani on Wednesday affirmed Syria’s readiness to get rid of the chemical weapons tgat remained in the country after the fall of Assad regime. He called on the international community to provide assistance in this matter.

Reuters quoted Al -Shibani as saying in closed meetings of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague: Syria is ready to solve this decades -old problem which was “imposed on us by the former regime”.

He added: The legal obligations resulting from the violations are a legacy that we inherited as we did not make it.   However, we are committed to dismantling what has remained from it, putting an end to this painful legacy and ensuring that Syria becomes a country that works in accordance with international standards.

Al -Shaibani indicated that planning has already started, but the assistance of the international community will be decisive.

He stated that Syria will need technical and logistical assistance, capacity building, as well as resources and experts on the ground.

He said: Although Assad regime delayed the process for many years, we understand the need to move quickly, but we also understand the necessity of completing this in a comprehensive manner, as we cannot succeed alone in achieving this.

Earlier today, the Head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons( OPCW) Fernando Arias described the political transition in Syria as “a new and historical opportunity to obtain clarifications on the scope of the entire Syrian chemical weapons program.”

Raghda Sawas