September 5, 2024
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, Director Ebo, for your briefing.
This month marks 11 years since the adoption of Resolution 2118, which this Council adopted unanimously in response to horrific chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Today the United States wishes to review where we stand on the critical pillars of that Resolution.
Colleagues, that Resolution required the full implementation of the OPCW Executive Council’s decision necessitating the expeditious destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons program under stringent verification.
It stated the Syrian Arab Republic shall not use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, retain, or transfer chemical weapons and shall cooperate fully with the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), including by giving UN and
OPCW personnel immediate and unfettered access to inspect any and all sites.
Resolution 2118 said those individuals responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria must be held accountable.
By every one of these measures, the Syrian Arab Republic has not only failed to implement these provisions but has shown utter contempt for the will of this Council and for the families of the men, women, and children who suffered and died due to such attacks.
After 11 years of this behavior, we can all see that this regime has no shame whatsoever.
Multiple international investigations have all come to the same conclusion: that the Assad regime repeatedly used chemical weapons against Syrian citizens.
Despite this conclusive evidence, the Syrian Arab Republic refuses to comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention by fully and verifiably accounting for its chemical weapon program and arsenal. Even more disturbing is the fact that this regime has yet to take responsibility for the atrocities it has committed against its own citizens.
Director Ebo, we appreciate the OPCW’s continuing efforts to verify the accuracy of Syria’s declarations, and to press the regime to address the many remaining gaps and inconsistencies. We also laud the professionalism, dedication, impartiality, and determination of the Syria Special Missions.
We know that theirs is a daunting task, but we must do all we can to ensure that Syrians never again have to endure such a catastrophe. There must be no impunity for the use of chemical weapons anywhere, by anyone, under any circumstances.
The United States notes that the OPCW’s Technical Secretariat continues to discover alarming evidence of Syria’s chemical weapons capabilities, the latest of which dates to April 2023. This has resulted in the Organization opening two new outstanding issues regarding the accuracy and completeness of Syria’s declaration. This takes the long list of gaps and discrepancies with Syria’s initial declaration to 19, including many that have been persisting since 2014.
In response to Syria’s continued non-compliance, the OPCW Conference of States Parties adopted the forward-looking decision invoking Article 12, paragraph 3 of the Chemical Weapons Convention recommending that States Parties take a number of collective measures, including to prevent the transfer to Syria of certain dual-use chemicals and equipment.
This decision also aims to prevent the same dual-use chemicals and equipment from falling into the hands of non-state actors, including terrorist groups.
The United States urges all Member States to implement these measures without delay.
The United States continues working with partners across the world to bring an end to the regime’s chemical weapons program and promote accountability for the use of chemical weapons in Syria and elsewhere.
After 11 years, the Syrian regime is banking on all of us forgetting their atrocities. The United States refuses to do so. We will not forget; we will not relent; and we implore every nation seated at this table to do the same. Thank you, Mr. President.