UN, Russia Welcome Complete Removal of Chemical Weapons from Syria

The Secretary-General welcomes the removal of the remaining 7.2 per cent of chemical weapons material from Syria. This now completes and brings to 100% the destruction and removal of the declared chemical weapons material from Syria, according to UN website

The Secretary-General congratulates the OPCW-UN Joint Mission for completing this most challenging of tasks in an active war zone. He is particularly grateful to the Governments of the People’s Republic of China, Denmark, Norway, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States – who have provided critical resources and support to the operations. He is also appreciative of the role of the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Lebanon for their facilitation and continuous cooperation. He further thanks the Italian authorities for providing a port for transloading part of the cargo, after which the rest of the chemical weapons materials will be transported onward to various destruction facilities. Throughout this process, the Secretary-General has welcomed the cooperation of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic in assisting the Joint Mission to carry out its tasks.

The Secretary-General has repeatedly expressed his profound distress at the great tragedy that has befallen Syria and its people. He notes that when there is political will — as demonstrated by the successful implementation of the mandated tasks of the Joint Mission — there can be progress towards peace. He demands the same of all involved in Syria, the region and the international community.

Russia welcomes

The Russian Foreign Ministry also welcomed the successful completion of the international operation to remove chemical weapons and their precursors from Syria, according to ITARTASS

“This marks the end of the most important and complex stage of the plan to destroy chemical weapons outside the country, which was worked out by the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW] and approved by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2118,” the ministry said.

The plan was adopted in the wake of President Vladimir Putin’s initiative put forth in 2013 when the crisis over Syria had come to its head.

About 1,200 tonnes of chemical weapons were removed from Syria during the operation.

“Syria’s rejection of combat toxic agents has become a fact: chemical weapon production facilities, mixing and ammunition filling equipment, as well as all unfilled shells were destroyed. About 1,200 tonnes of toxic chemicals were removed from the country and over 100 tonnes were eliminated in the country by agreement with the OPCW,” the ministry said.

It stressed that the main goal of chemical demilitarisation of Syria had been achieved. “This is a vivid example of how the international community can solve the most complex disarmament and non-proliferation task if it acts concertedly and purposefully,” the ministry said.

Russia “urges all states that are still outside the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction to follow the example of the Syrian Arab Republic and join this one of the most successful and effective multilateral treaties in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation without delay”, the Ministry concluded

UN.org / ITARTASS

Ibrahim Zaaboub