Tag Archives: OPCW
21 August 2014
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the destruction of Syria’s declared chemical weapons material on board the US vessel Cape Ray, saying: ‘This marks a significant achievement in the international community’s efforts to eliminate the chemical weapons programme of the Syrian Arab Republic following the framework agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States of America.’ (more…)
Source: UN News Centre | UN chief welcomes destruction of Syria's declared chemical weapons material
24 April 2014
On 23 April, the Chinese Foreign Ministry informed Reuters that it was investigating reports that a chlorine canister with the name of China’s largest arms producer, Norinco, on it was shown in a video that presumably documents a chlorine bomb attack in Syria earlier this month. Reuters reported that it could not verify the authenticity of the video, which was uploaded by opposition activists. On the basis of the characteristics of several attacks in Syria this month, analysts believe that a coordinated chlorine bomb campaign is taking place, with growing evidence that it is carried out by the Syrian government. (more…)
Source: Reuters | China says probing reports Chinese chlorine used in Syria attack
21 March 2014
The German government has requested federal prosecutors to investigate if German companies violated the law by exporting materials to Syria during the 1980s and early 1990s that may have enabled the country to develop a chemical weapons programme. Based on information given to it by Syria, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has provided a list of companies to Germany, said a spokesman of the German ministry of economy on 19 March 2014. According to a report by the Süddeutsche Zeitung on 19 March 2014, Russia, France and China were also involved in providing Syria with materials that could be used to produce chemical weapons.
Source: Reuters | German prosecutors probe firms for Syria chemical weapons links
2 March 2014
The Joint Mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations confirmed on 26 February 2014 that a shipment of Syria’s reserve of mustard gas has left the country. The Special Coordinator of the Joint Mission, Sigrid Kaag, stated that the shipment is an ‘important step’ in the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal. Following international outrage over a sarin gas attack on civilians in August 2013, the Joint Mission was installed to supervise Syria’s compliance with its obligation to renounce its chemical weapons, agreed to by Assad after negotiations led by the United States and Russia. (more…)
Source: UN News Centre - Joint UN-OPCW mission welcomes mustard gas shipment out of Syria as ‘important step’
Source: Reuters | Syria agrees new April target to remove chemicals: diplomats
19 February 2014
According to Reuters, Russia and NATO are drawing up plans for an exceptional joint naval operation in the Mediterranean to protect the United States (US) ship that will destroy Syria’s deadliest chemical weapons at sea.
A source at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and several NATO sources in Brussels confirmed that a joint operation to guard the ‘Cape Ray’ is under discussion. Under the plan being discussed, NATO and Russian warships would share the task of protecting the Cape Ray, a US cargo ship that will process at sea about 500 tonnes of chemicals that are too dangerous to deal with on land. NATO and Russia are reportedly still trying to iron out some issues such as a unified command structure, the rules of engagement, and response procedures in case the convoy faces danger. (more…)
Source: Reuters | Exclusive: Russia, NATO plan joint operation on Syria's chemical weapons