Syria has reiterated its full commitment to working with the international community to eliminate the remnants of its chemical weapons program, a program that inflicted heavy losses on the Syrian people. The deposed regime deployed sarin gas to suppress popular protests, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
In this context, Foreign Minister of the caretaker government, Asaad Shibani, affirmed Syria’s dedication to cooperating with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to destroy the remnants of the chemical weapons program of the ousted Assad regime. He also urged the international community to provide the necessary assistance in this endeavor.
Shibani stated during closed meetings at the OPCW in The Hague yesterday: “Syria is ready to resolve this decades-old issue, one that was imposed upon us by a former regime.”
He added: “The legal obligations arising from past violations are an inherited burden, not of our making. Nevertheless, we are committed to dismantling any remaining stockpiles, putting an end to this painful legacy, ensuring justice for the victims, and aligning Syria with international standards.”
Shibani noted that planning is already underway, but international support will be crucial. He stressed that Syria requires technical and logistical assistance, capacity-building efforts, and the deployment of resources and experts on the ground.
“Although the Assad regime delayed this process for many years, we recognize the need to act swiftly. At the same time, we understand that this must be done comprehensively. We cannot succeed alone,” he said.
Syria Participates in OPCW Executive Council Meeting for the First Time
Syria’s participation in the OPCW Executive Council meeting in The Hague, for the first time since the fall of the former regime, underscores Damascus’ commitment to full cooperation with the international organization to close the “chemical weapons file” once and for all. This effort aims both to achieve justice for the victims—those who suffocated to death at the hands of the Assad regime—and to contribute to international security and stability.
Shibani’s remarks outlined the roadmap for eliminating the remnants of the ousted regime’s chemical weapons—a goal that primarily serves Syria’s national interests. However, as he emphasized, success will require international cooperation. By taking these steps, Syria has made significant progress in rebuilding trust and engaging constructively with the OPCW’s technical secretariat after years of obstruction by the former regime, which yielded no meaningful results in addressing this issue.
As Syria moves to fulfill its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, Shibani also stressed that the OPCW must accelerate its own responsibilities in accordance with its mandate. He called for urgent support from the organization’s technical secretariat to assist the Syrian government in eliminating the remnants of the chemical weapons program. Speeding up this process, he argued, would serve both the Syrian people and the international community.
During the meeting, OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias welcomed Shibani’s visit and participation, describing it as a strong indication of the new Syrian authorities’ commitment to cooperating with the OPCW to eliminate all chemical weapons in Syria.
Arias reaffirmed the organization’s readiness to support Syria in meeting its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention. He further announced that a team of OPCW experts would be dispatched to Damascus in the coming days.
“As soon as the Syrian authorities are ready, the OPCW secretariat will send a mission of experts to assist in compiling a comprehensive inventory of chemical weapons sites, warfare agents, equipment, munitions, and other components of the former program,” he added.
He concluded:
“Our top priority is to identify, secure, declare, and ultimately destroy these materials.”
According to Reuters, international inspectors now seek access to approximately 100 sites that may have been linked to the chemical weapons program maintained by the ousted Assad regime for decades.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
