First Inspections at the Barzah and Jamrayah Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre Facilities in the Syrian Arab Republic in Accordance with Decision

Eighty-Fifth Session

EC-85/DG.16

11 – 14 July 2017

2 June 2017

Original: ENGLISH

REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

FIRST INSPECTIONS AT THE BARZAH AND JAMRAYAH SYRIAN SCIENTIFIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH CENTRE FACILITIES IN THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH DECISION EC-83/DEC.5 (DATED 11 NOVEMBER 2016)

1. In subparagraph 12(a) of its decision entitled “OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism Reports on Chemical Weapons Use in the Syrian Arab Republic” (EC-83/DEC.5, dated 11 November 2016), the Executive Council (hereinafter “the Council”) decided that the Director-General shall regularly inform the Council on the implementation of this decision.

2. In paragraph 11 of the same decision, the Council decided that the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) shall conduct inspections twice a year at the Barzah facilities of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) and twice a year at the Jamrayah SSRC facilities, on dates to be determined by the Secretariat, with full and unfettered access to all buildings at these sites and all rooms within these buildings, and that the Syrian Arab Republic shall facilitate promptly, and fully cooperate with, these inspections.

3. On 19 January 2017, the Syrian Arab Republic was notified of the forthcoming inspection, which had 29 January as the estimated date of arrival of the inspection team in Damascus. Two days prior to the planned deployment, the Syrian Arab Republic contacted the Secretariat in order to postpone the inspection due to security concerns. Subsequently, the Syrian Arab Republic signalled that the inspection could proceed, and the Secretariat deployed an inspection team to the Syrian Arab Republic on 25 February 2017. The first inspections of the Barzah and Jamrayah SSRC facilities were conducted between 26 February and 5 March 2017.

4. The primary aim of these first inspections was to conduct an initial survey at each of the SSRC sites. The inspection team was mandated to establish the main characteristics of the SSRC facilities and the activities conducted there, and to gather information to determine whether activities at the facilities were consistent with the obligations of the Syrian Arab Republic under the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”).

5. At the start of the inspection the inspection team and representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic held discussions on the inspection methods to be employed, including measures to protect sensitive information that the inspected State Party considered unrelated to the Convention. Agreement was reached on methods to be applied. These methods did not impair the access required by the inspectors to conduct the inspections.

6. The inspectors requested the inspected State Party to provide a pre-inspection briefing at each facility, to cover: personnel involved in the inspection and key personnel responsible for activities throughout the site; location, delineation, and layout of the site, with the aid of maps, diagrams, and aerial photographs; and lists of buildings and structures at the site, including location within the site, number/name or designation of each building, type of building or structure, and the activities conducted in each building, structure or area. This briefing was provided at the start of both inspections by the representatives of each of the facilities.

7. The inspectors carried out a comprehensive site tour at each facility to familiarise themselves with the general characteristics and features of the sites. The inspectors then selected buildings, structures, and areas to inspect.

8. Not all areas were inspected during these first inspections. However, in each of the selected areas, all rooms within the building, structure, or area were inspected in accordance with paragraph 11 of EC-83/DEC.5. The inspected State Party provided the necessary cooperation during the inspections and provided access for the inspectors to all selected areas.

9. Four samples were taken by the inspection team, at locations selected by the inspectors (two from each SSRC facility). The samples were removed from site and subsequently analysed at two OPCW-designated laboratories. Results of the analysis indicated that there were no scheduled chemicals present in the samples.

10. During these first inspections at the Barzah and Jamrayah SSRC facilities, the inspection team did not observe any activities inconsistent with obligations under the Convention. The inspection reports were finalised and transmitted to the Syrian Arab Republic on 2 June 2017.

11. The Secretariat has commenced planning for the second inspections of the Barzah and Jamrayah SSRC facilities, to be conducted in the second half of 2017.

12. The Director-General will continue to keep the Council informed of matters relating to the implementation of paragraph 11 of EC-83/DEC.5.