UN Chemical Weapons Team Arrives in Damascus

Media Statement

Syrian Coalition

Istanbul, Turkey

Augusts 19, 2013

The Syrian Coalition welcomes the arrival of the United Nations chemical weapons team in Syria and renews its commitment to facilitate the work of the team and cooperate at all levels.

The Syrian Coalition emphasizes the need for the team to visit all locations where Assad forces have used chemical weapons, especially in liberated areas. Visiting locations in areas under the control of Assad’s regime, or places where the regime has regained control, will not be enough. The Coalition is confident that the UN team is impartial and professional, however Assad’s regime is well known for its manipulation, tampering with evidence, stalling for time, procrastination, and fraud. It has already restricted the movement of the team, and that will certainly affect the outcome of the investigation.

The Syrian Coalition reiterates that initial reports, in addition to testimonies collected from Syrian citizens, have indicated that the Assad regime has systematically used chemical weapons. The US, UK, France, and Turkey have also previously stated that the regime has used chemical weapons in different locations across Syria.