U.S. welcomes progress on dismantling Syria chemical weapons remnants
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United States welcomed on Tuesday what it described as continued progress by the Syrian transitional government and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in locating and destroying remaining elements of the former Syrian regime’s chemical weapons program.
Speaking during a briefing at the United Nations Security Council, U.S. Deputy Representative Tammy Bruce said Washington was encouraged by cooperation between Damascus and the OPCW in granting inspectors access to relevant sites.
“The United States welcomes the continued progress made by the Syrian government and the OPCW towards locating and destroying any remnants of the Assad regime’s chemical weapons program,” Bruce said, urging Syrian authorities to intensify efforts as the country moves beyond what she described as a “dark chapter” of its history.
Bruce also called on UN member states to support both Syria and the OPCW to ensure they can operate safely and effectively during the ongoing verification and destruction process.
According to the U.S. diplomat, Washington is working with Syria and six partner nations through the Syria-led Destruction Planning Group, which aims to assist in eliminating chemical weapons remnants, strengthen Syrian national capabilities, and mobilize technical and operational support.
Bruce further welcomed the fifth report issued by the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) regarding the events of Oct. 1, 2016, in the town of Kafr Zeita. She said the report marked a milestone as it was the first produced after Syria granted the team full access to its territory.
The findings, she said, could contribute to efforts to identify and hold accountable those responsible for chemical weapons use in Syria.
Bruce added that efforts by the Syrian National Commission on Transitional Justice to investigate chemical weapons attacks are an important step toward uncovering abuses committed under the former regime.
She noted that these developments support the objectives outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118 and called for international financial and technical contributions to support the OPCW’s mission in Syria.