S/2017/694 - Status of the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Libya's remaining category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2017/694

Distr.: General
9 August 2017
Original: English

Letter dated 8 August 2017 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to convey herewith a report of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on the status of the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Libya's remaining category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya (see annex). The report, dated 24 July 2017, covers the period from 23 June to 22 July 2017.

The report was prepared in accordance with the relevant provisions of OPCW Executive Council decision EC-M-52/DEC.1 of 20 July 2016 and Security Council resolution 2298 (2016) of 22 July 2016, for transmission to the Security Council.

I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be brought to the attention of the members of the Security Council.

(Signed) António Guterres

Annex

[Original: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish]

I have the honour to transmit to you my report entitled "Status of the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Libya's remaining category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya", prepared in accordance with the relevant provisions of OPCW Executive Council Decision EC-M-52/DEC.1, dated 20 July 2016, and United Nations Security Council resolution 2298 (2016), dated 22 July 2016, for transmission to the Security Council (see enclosure). My report covers the period from 23 June to 22 July 2017 and also covers the reporting requirements of Executive Council decisions EC -M-52/DEC.2, dated 27 July 2016, and EC-M-53/DEC.1, dated 26 August 2016.

(Signed) Ahmet Üzümcü

Enclosure

[Original: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish]

Report of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

Status of the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Libya's remaining category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya

1. At its Fifty-Second Meeting, the Executive Council (hereinafter "the Council") adopted a decision on the "Destruction of Libya's Remaining Chemical Weapons" (EC-M-52/DEC.1, dated 20 July 2016) and requested the Director-General to assist Libya in developing a modified plan of destruction of Libya's Category 2 chemical weapons. On 22 July 2016, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2298 (2016), welcoming and endorsing the decision by the Council and requesting the Director-General, through the Secretary-General, to report to the Security Council on a regular basis until the destruction is complete and verified.

2. At the conclusion of its Fifty-Second Meeting, the Council adopted a decision entitled "Detailed Requirements for the Destruction of Libya's Remaining Category 2 Chemical Weapons" (EC-M-52/DEC.2, dated 27 July 2016). In operative paragraph 17 of that decision, the Council requested the Director-General to report to the Council on a monthly basis on the implementation of the decision. This eleventh monthly report covers the period from 23 June to 22 July 2017.

Progress in the elimination of Libyan chemical weapons by the State Party hosting destruction activities

3. Gesellschaft zur Entsorgung von chemischen Kampfstoffen und Rustungsaltlasten mbH (GEKA mbH), the designated destruction facility at Munster, Germany, completed the destruction of the 2-chloroethanol and tributylamine on 17 December 2016 and 20 January 201 7, respectively.

4. As previously reported (EC-85/DG.1, dated 23 March 2017), the destruction of phosphorous trichloride was suspended as a necessary precaution in order to prevent the refractory coating from severe damage. Destruction totals for phosphorous trichloride remain at 3.2 metric tonnes (MT), or 2.8%.

5. Using the incinerator in Incinerator Plant 1 ("Munster 1"), GEKA mbH began the destruction of thionyl chloride on 24 March 2017. GEKA mbH and the Host State have notified the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter "the Secretariat") that the required permits to alter the destruction technology from incineration to neutralisation were received and neutralisation of thionyl chloride began on 5 July 2017. As at 17 July 2017, 17.74 MT, or 17.6%, of the thionyl chloride had been destroyed.

6. Secretariat teams continue to inspect GEKA mbH every two months, with the last such inspection having been conducted from 26 to 28 June 2017. No issues were encountered with the destruction process.

Activities carried out by the Secretariat with respect to Libya

7. The Secretariat inspected the destruction operations at GEKA mbH and conducted a final engineering review of the neutralisation system during the aforementioned inspection. The Secretariat inspection team confirmed that all verification measures were in place for the forthcoming neutralisation process and verified the ongoing destruction through on-site confirmation and review of video recordings.

8. The next inspection at GEKA mbH is scheduled to take place from 11 to 14 September 2017. The Secretariat will continue to assess the verification procedures for the neutralisation process and confirm the destruction since the last inspection.

9. GEKA mbH is confident that the destruction of the Libyan Category 2 chemical weapons in Germany will be completed by the deadline established in operative paragraph 3 of Council decision EC -M-52/DEC.2.

10. As previously reported, the Secretariat was informed that during decanting operations at the Ruwagha storage facility, one container experienced an exothermic reaction, causing the material inside to polymerise. Owing to the levels of the Category 2 chemicals remaining in the container (approximately 5%), the viscous nature of the remnants, and the limited ability to recover any useable material, the Secretariat is in a position to affirm that the material no longer presents a proliferation threat.

11. In line with decision EC-M-51/DEC.1 (dated 24 February 2016), the Secretariat has concluded an agreement with the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) to contract a Libyan firm to complete the destruction of the one remaining tank at the Ruwagha facility. Libya informed the Council at its Eighty-Fifth Session that the pump had been received to assist in the reloading of a partial amount, to allow for hydrolysis of the material. Preparation and destruction operations for the contents of the remaining tank in Ruwagha are scheduled to begin in the week of 25 July 2017.

12. Destruction operations will be limited to the remaining tank and will not affect the Secretariat's ability to obtain samples from the Ruwagha Tank Farm.

13. The Secretariat, in accordance with the report of the Council at its Eighty-Third Session (paragraph 6.12 of EC-83/5, dated 11 November 2016), continues to consult with the United Nations Office of Safety and Security (UNDSS) as to the possibility of Secretariat personnel travelling to Ruwagha to obtain soil samples. The UNDSS is currently advising against such travel. The Secretariat will continue to monitor the situation.

Overall costs and status of the trust fund

14. On 1 August 2016, the Secretariat issued a Note calling for voluntary contributions to the trust fund for support to Libya (S/1400/2016, dated 1 August 2016). As at the cut-off date of this report, the trust fund had received over EUR 1.2 million, with contributions having been received from Canada, Cyprus, Finland, New Zealand, and the United States of America. An additional EUR 133,638 was received from Canada in the form of a transfer of funds from a previous trust fund dedicated to Libya. Furthermore, the Secretariat received a contribution of EUR 20,000 from Spain on 30 June 2017. As at the cut-off date of this report, expenses in the amount of EUR 739,160 had been charged to the trust fund for activities related to the destruction of Libya's Category 2 chemical weapons.

15. The trust fund continues to be used to fund activities related to Libya's Category 2 chemical weapons. The OPCW has concluded an agreement with UNOPS, utilising funding from Cyprus, Finland, New Zealand and Spain for the destruction of the remaining tank at Ruwagha.

16. The Secretariat has received a programme of work and budget for the clean-up operations of the Ruwagha Tank Farm. The programme of work and budget has been presented to potential donors for their consideration. The Secretariat acknowledges the request by the Council at its Eighty -Third Session to obtain soil samples from the area surrounding decanted Category 2 chemical tanks (paragraph 6.12 of EC-83/5). No action will be taken until sufficient soil samples can be obtained.

17. The Director-General would once again like to express his appreciation to those States Parties that have already made or have committed to making voluntary contributions to the trust fund.

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09Aug17

Status of the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Libya's remaining category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya

Report of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

Status of the implementation of the plan for the destruction of Libya's remaining category 2 chemical weapons outside the territory of Libya