New York, June 4 (SANA) Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, said that in the context of Syria’s commitment to maintaining national and regional security and preserving the global non-proliferation system, the tireless efforts of the national teams have recently culminated in identifying and securing missiles and chemical munitions related to the chemical program of the deposed regime.
“The achievements of the Syrian teams constituted a decisive turning point in the efforts to uncover the Assad’s chemical weapons program and a major step forward in the path to accountability, thus providing an invaluable service to the region and the world by addressing the risks of proliferation and enhancing its security and stability,” Ambassador Olabi said during a session for the UN Security Council to discuss the chemical weapons file.
He added that Syria has facilitated 32 visits for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to suspected sites and handed over more than 60,000 documents related to the deposed regime’s chemical weapons program.
“In that context, the Syrian authorities have arrested a number of individuals who worked within the inherited chemical weapons program as part of the pursuit of justice and accountability,” Olabi stressed.
He added that Syria has suffered from chemical weapons for more than 12 years, since their first use in 2014, and it is now determined to eliminate this legacy.
“In light of the new positive atmosphere prevailing, thanks to the transparent and open approach of the Syrian government, we stress the need to avoid returning the chemical file to practices that have been overtaken by events, and to keep it away from politicization by adhering to its technical nature, given the harm that any politicization may affect efforts to make progress on it,” Olabi said.
He added that supporting Syria’s efforts will contribute to transforming the chemical file, which has led to much polarization in the Security Council and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, into a consensus file, and will contribute to transforming it into a model for international cooperation in the field of supporting the global non-proliferation regime.
“We promised the people of Douma and Khan Sheikhoun in Syria that their voice would reach the Security Council to preserve their rights and hold accountable those who committed massacres against them, and here we are today fulfilling that promise,” Ambassador Olabi concluded.
In this context, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said “We welcome the Syrian government’s continued cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which has led to significant progress”
“We visited several sites in Syria and found materials similar to those used by the deposed regime in its chemical attacks on various areas,” Nakamitsu said.
The UN official stressed that the Syrian government has done courageous work to facilitate the OPCW’s work, and we commend its continued cooperation.
For her part, US Deputy Representative to the UN Tammy Bruce said that the United States welcomes the return of OPCW teams to Syria and the significant progress made by the Syrian government and the OPCW, including the discovery of previously undeclared chemical materials.
“The United States welcomes the return of the OPCW teams to Syria and the significant progress made by the Syrian government and the organization, including the discovery of previously undeclared chemical materials,” she added.
Bruce said affirmed that Syria has showed flexibility and determination to close this file and turn the page on the past, and we call for continued assistance in this step.
Bahrain’s representative to the United Nations said his country welcomes the level of cooperation between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Syrian government, including facilitating access to relevant sites and providing the necessary documents and information.
Greece’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that his country reiterates its full support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria. The Syrian people deserve to turn the page on chemical weapons in their modern history.
Meanwhile, Denmark’s representative to the United Nations said that the Syrian government is committed to cooperating with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and this is essential to moving forward towards closing this file.
The UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN stressed that Syria’s cooperation has contributed to the discovery of dozens of chemical munitions, and we consider the arrest of suspects in the Ghouta chemical attack an important step.
In a related context, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN affirmed that the chemical weapons file in Syria must be closed in order to direct resources towards reconstruction and development.
Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Usman Jadoon said his country appreciates the Syrian government’s commitment to supporting the work of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and “we call for strengthening Syria’s capabilities and providing it with assistance to close this file.”
France’s Permanent Representative to the UN also said that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons against its own people in at least nine confirmed cases, and we hope that the remaining chemical stockpiles will be secured and destroyed as quickly as possible.
“We welcome the Syrian government’s cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and this cooperation opens a new chapter in the country’s history, France’s envoy added.
Türkiye’s representative to the United Nations Ahmet Yildiz affirmed that the Syrian government has shown a sincere commitment to helping the teams of the Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons perform their tasks.
MZN
