A team dispatched to Syria by the United Nations-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in May has discovered undeclared chemical munitions, related materials, and extensive documentation. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs at the UN, informed the Security Council on Thursday that these findings represent “a significant development” for both Syrian and international security, as well as the global disarmament regime.
This discovery addresses a long-standing gap in Syria’s declarations regarding its chemical weapons program. Since 2014, the OPCW had been unable to verify the accuracy or completeness of the declarations provided by the government of the now-ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Nakamitsu added that the new administration, led by President Ahmed el-Sharaa, has been cooperating closely with inspectors, granting access to documents that enabled these discoveries. Nakamitsu stressed that the newly found weapons must now be officially declared and destroyed under OPCW verification, indicating that further inspections at additional sites are necessary.
Syria’s UN representative described the find as “a major leap in fulfilling responsibility” and “a definite turning point.” He stated that his government has facilitated 32 visits by OPCW inspectors and handed over more than 60,000 pages of documents. “Syria has suffered from chemical weapons for more than 12 years. Today, it is determined to get rid of the legacy,” the representative said.
Security Council members lauded the progress. The UK delegate noted that the new findings provide “further evidence of Assad’s attempts to actively deceive the international community,” while the United States remarked on the “cooperation, flexibility, and shared commitment” shown by Syria and the OPCW in closing this chapter. France suggested the latest discovery is “beginning to reveal the extent of the program hidden from the international community,” and Denmark cautioned that “the task ahead remains complex.”
Russia’s delegate questioned the speed at which the OPCW is moving to attribute blame for the newly found items, arguing that the findings should be examined in a “depoliticized manner.” Turkey characterized the discoveries as “a stark reminder of the extent of oppression and suffering inflicted upon the Syrian people by the former regime” and called for the reinstatement of Syria’s rights and privileges under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which were suspended in 2021.
