Equipo Nizkor - UNSC S/2016/494 - Note by the Director-General of the OPCW on the progress in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme (Apr.-May 16).

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/494

Distr.: General
27 May 2016
Original: English

Letter dated 27 May 2016 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to transmit herewith the thirty-second monthly report of the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), submitted pursuant to paragraph 12 of Security Council resolution 2118 (2013). The report covers the period from 22 April to 23 May 2016.

With respect to the destruction of the chemical weapons production facilities declared by the Syrian Arab Republic, the security situation continues to prevent access to the hangar that remains to be destroyed. For the same reason, the OPCW Technical Secretariat is still unable to confirm the condition of two other stationary above-ground facilities. However, I note that although the Syrian Arab Republic was exploring the possibility of safely accessing one of the two above-ground facilities, the frequently changing security situation has limited plans to that end.

With respect to the initial declaration and subsequent submissions by the Syrian Arab Republic, the Director-General of OPCW and representatives of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic met in The Hague from 27 to 30 April 2016, with the aim of resolving all outstanding issues in that regard. A visit by a team from the OPCW Technical Secretariat will take place in Damascus from 30 May to 3 June 2016, and will engage not only on issues that remain to be resolved, but also on the most recent analytical results of samples collected by the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team during its visit to the Syrian Arab Republic in January 2016. I note, in particular, the fact that the Director-General has indicated that these results have increased the scope of issues that remain to be resolved. I also note that the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is continuing to engage in dialogue and to cooperate with OPCW on this matter.

I underscore my continuing and grave concern over allegations of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. I note that the OPCW fact-finding mission in the Syrian Arab Republic is continuing to study all available information related to such allegations.

Pursuant to Security Council resolution 2235 (2015), the OPCW -United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism is proceeding with the investigation of the nine selected cases. During the reporting period, the Leadership Panel met with officials in Washington, D.C. The Mechanism's investigators also undertook their second technical visit to Damascus. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is continuing to cooperate with the Mechanism. Information and material received in Damascus are under review and the Mechanism has continued to receive information relevant to its investigation from other Member States.

In addition, and in accordance with paragraph 7 of resolution 2235 (2015), the Mechanism has engaged with non-governmental organizations and other entities with knowledge about the nine cases under investigation. The Mechanism will present a written progress report to the Security Council for its consideration during the month of June 2016.

(Signed) BAN Ki-moon

Annex

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

I have the honour to transmit to you my report entitled "Progress in the Elimination of the Syrian Chemical Weapons Programme" prepared in accordance with the relevant provisions of the OPCW Executive Council Decision EC-M-33/DEC.1 and the United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), both dated 27 September 2013, for transmission to the Security Council (see enclosure). My report covers the period from 22 April 2016 to 23 May 2016 and also covers the reporting requirements of the Executive Council decision EC-M-34/DEC.1, dated 15 November 2013.

(Signed) Ahmet Üzümcü

Enclosure

Note by the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

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

Progress in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme

1. In accordance with subparagraph 2 (f) of the decision by the Executive Council (hereinafter "the Council") at its Thirty-Third Meeting (EC-M-33/DEC.1, dated 27 September 2013), the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter "the Secretariat") is to report to the Council on a monthly basis regarding the implementation of that decision. In accordance with paragraph 12 of United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), the report by the Secretariat is also to be submitted to the Security Council through the Secretary-General.

2. The Council, at its Thirty-Fourth Meeting, adopted a decision entitled "Detailed Requirements for the Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons and Syrian Chemical Weapons Production Facilities" (EC-M-34/DEC.1, dated 15 November 2013). In paragraph 22 of that decision, the Council decided that the Secretariat should report on its implementation "in conjunction with its reporting required by subparagraph 2 (f) of Council decision EC-M-33/DEC.1".

3. The Council, at its Forty-Eighth Meeting, adopted a decision entitled "Reports of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in Syria" (EC-M-48/DEC.1, dated 4 February 2015) noting the Director-General's intent to include reports of the Fact Finding Mission (FFM), along with information on the Council's discussion thereof, as part of the monthly reporting pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013). Similarly, the Council, at its Eighty-First Session, adopted a decision entitled "Report by the Director-General Regarding the Declaration and Related Submissions by the Syrian Arab Republic" (EC-81/DEC.4, dated 23 March 2016), noting the Director General's intent to provide information on the implementation of that decision.

4. This, the thirty-second monthly report, is therefore submitted in accordance with the aforementioned Council decisions, and includes information relevant to the period from 22 April to 23 May 2016.

Progress achieved by the Syrian Arab Republic in meeting the requirements of EC-M-33/DEC.1 and EC-M-34/DEC.1

5. Progress by the Syrian Arab Republic is as follows:

(a) With respect to the 27 chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) declared by the Syrian Arab Republic, the Secretariat has verified the destruction of 24, and three remain to be verified as destroyed. The security situation continues to prevent safe access to destroy the remaining aircraft hangar, which stands ready to accept the explosive charges, and to confirm the condition of at least one of the two stationary above-ground facilities. While it was reported previously that the Syrian Arab Republic was exploring the possibility to safely access the other stationary facility, the frequently changing security situation has limited any plans to access that site.

(b) On 19 May 2016, the Syrian Arab Republic submitted to the Council its thirtieth monthly report (EC-82/P/NAT.3, dated 19 May 2016) regarding activities on its territory related to the destruction of its CWPFs, as required by paragraph 19 of EC-M-34/DEC.1.

(c) The Syrian authorities have continued to extend the necessary cooperation in accordance with the implementation of subparagraph 1 (e) of EC-M-33/DEC.1 and paragraph 7 of United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013).

Progress in the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons by States Parties hosting destruction activities

6. As reported previously, all the chemicals declared by the Syrian Arab Republic that were removed from its territory in 2014 have now been destroyed.

Activities carried out by the Secretariat with respect to Executive Council decision EC-81/DEC.4

7. At its Eighty-First Session, the Council (in decision EC-81/DEC.4) requested that the Director-General, in parallel with the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT), meet with senior Syrian officials to address the issues identified by the Secretariat in the "Report on the Work of the Declaration Assessment Team Regarding the Declaration and Related Submissions by the Syrian Arab Republic" (EC-81/HP/DG.1, dated 22 February 2016).

8. In accordance with the Council's decision, the Director-General, together with the DAT, continues to engage senior Syrian officials in order to address the unresolved issues pertaining to the initial declaration and subsequent submissions regarding the chemical weapons programme of the Syrian Arab Republic.

9. Upon invitation of the Director-General, H.E. Dr. Faisal Mekdad, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Syrian Arab Republic, and a delegation of experts, participated in four days of consultations with staff from the Secretariat. Convened at OPCW Headquarters from 27 to 30 April 2016, the objective of the consultations was to discuss and resolve all outstanding issues indicated in the Secretariat's report.

10. Following these discussions, a delegation from the Secretariat will continue its technical consultations with Syrian officials in Damascus from 30 May to 3 June 2016. These consultations will focus on all issues that remain to be resolved, and will also include engagement on the most recent analytical results of samples collected by the DAT during its fourteenth visit to the Syrian Arab Republic, in January 2016. The results of analysis of the most recent samples have increased the scope of issues that remain to be resolved.

11. As decided by the Council at its Eighty -First Session, the Director-General will inform the Council of the outcome of these consultations in advance of its Eighty-Second Session, to be convened in July 2016.

Other activities carried out by the Secretariat with respect to the Syrian Arab Republic

12. As requested by the Council at its Seventy -Fifth Session (paragraph 7.12 of EC-75/2, dated 7 March 2014), the Secretariat, on behalf of the Director-General, has continued to brief States Parties in The Hague on its activities.

13. Amendments to the agreements to extend the support provided by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to the OPCW mission until the end of November 2016 have been concluded. Such amendments will also allow UNOPS to provide logistical and administrative support to the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) on a reimbursement basis. It is noted that, as at the cut-off date of this report, one OPCW staff member was deployed as part of the OPCW mission in the Syrian Arab Republic.

14. With the modalities of cooperation between the Syrian Arab Republic and the OPCW for the security of the remote monitoring systems already agreed upon, the contract for undertaking maintenance and repair of the systems installed at four of the CWPFs already destroyed (four underground structures) was finalised with the contractor during the reporting period.

Supplementary resources

15. As previously reported, a Trust Fund for Syria Missions was established in November 2015 to support the FFM and other remaining activities, such as those of the DAT. As at the cut-off date of this report, contribution agreements totalling EUR 7.8 million had been concluded with Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United States of America, and the European Union. Pledges from other donors have been made and are currently being processed.

Activities carried out with respect to the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in Syria

16. The FFM has continued to study all available information relating to allegations of use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, and will be guided in its work by Council decisions EC-M-48/DEC.1 and EC M-50/DEC.1 (dated 23 November 2015), and United Nations Security Council resolution 2209 (2015). The OPCW has also continued to extend its full cooperation and support to the JIM.

Conclusion

17. The main focus of the future activities of the OPCW Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic will be on the implementation of the Council's March 2016 decision (EC-81/DEC.4), as well as on the destruction and verification of the remaining aircraft hangar, confirmation of the status of the two stationary above-ground facilities, and annual inspections of the underground structures already verified as destroyed.

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27May16

Note by the Director-General of the OPCW on the progress in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme (Apr.-May 16)