UN welcomes Syria’s steps to cooperate with OPCW

NEW YORK, Mar.8, (ST)-The United Nations has welcomed the steps adopted by Syria to cooperate with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, describing these steps as “encouraging.”

In a briefing to the UN Security Council last night about the resolution on the chemical weapons program in Syria, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said: “The new Syrian administration has adopted steps to engage with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, work towards achieving full compliance with international law, and embark on a new chapter of cooperation to resolve outstanding issues.”

She welcomed and encouraged these developments.

The UN official considered that the new political situation in Syria is an opportunity to obtain long-awaited clarifications regarding the chemical weapons program in Syria, praising in this context the Syrian government’s commitment to full cooperation and transparency with the OPCW.

Nakamitsu also clarified that Syria and the OPCW Technical Secretariat have already begun working towards achieving these goals, and the UN Security Council has been informed about future steps to deploy a team of technical experts from the organization in Damascus for cooperation and to begin joint planning for deployment to chemical weapons sites, calling on the international community to support these efforts and provide the necessary resources to achieve them.

Basma Qaddour