Undeclared chemical weapons discovered in Syria, including the type used in the notorious Ghouta massacre

Izumi Nakamitsu give direction to Security Council on Thursday regarding the findings of the UN-backed Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which deployed a team to Syria in May.

Inspectors discovered undeclared chemical munitions, related materials, and extensive documentation.

“This finding is an important discovery, not only for Syria, but also for international security and the global disarmament regime.Ms Nakamitsu said to the Board.

Access all areas

The discovery closes a long-standing gap in accounting for Syria’s chemical weapons program.

Since 2014, OPCW could not confirm whether the Syrian declaration – delivered by the government of ousted President Bashar al-Assad – was accurate or complete.

The new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa has worked closely with inspectors, Nakamitsu said, by facilitating access to the site and providing documentation that made the breakthrough possible.

He stressed that newly discovered weapons must now be officially declared and destroyed based on OPCW verificationand further inspection of additional locations is required.

A turning point – but complex work remains to be done

Syria’s representative at the UN described the findings as a “decisive turning point” and “a major leap in providing accountability”, and stated that the Syrian Government had 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,” he said. “Today, they are committed to divesting themselves of his legacy.”

Several Council members praised the progress. The British delegation said the new findings “provide further evidence of Assad’s efforts to actively deceive the international community”, while the United States said Syria and the OPCW had demonstrated “adaptability, flexibility and shared commitment” to close this chapter.

France, however, warned that recent discoveries “have only just begun to reveal the extent to which this program was hidden from the international community”, and Denmark warned that “the task ahead remains complex”, pointing to the challenging security environment and the number of potentially relevant sites across the country.

Russia expressed skepticism

Not all Council members celebrated. The Russian delegation questioned the OPCW’s speed in assigning blame to the newly discovered substances, and urged that the findings be examined in a “depoliticized manner”. The OPCW “compromised a long time ago”, he said.

Türkiye said the discovery was “a stark reminder of the scale of oppression and suffering inflicted on the Syrian people by the previous regime” and called for Syria’s rights and privileges under the agreement. Chemical Weapons Convention – suspended in 2021 – to be reinstated.

For a more complete report on this news-making encounter, visit us Meeting Coverage location, Here.