REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL PROGRESS IN THE ELIMINATION OF THE SYRIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMME / EC-95/DG.1

REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL 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 OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in Syria (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. The Council, at its Eighty-Third Session, adopted a 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). In subparagraph 12(a) of that decision, the Council decided that the Director-General shall “regularly inform the Council on the implementation of this decision and incorporate information regarding the implementation of this decision into his monthly reporting to the United Nations Security Council, through the United Nations Secretary-General, regarding EC-M-33/DEC.1”. EC-95/DG.1 page 2 5. This, the eighty-second monthly report, is therefore submitted in accordance with the aforementioned Council decisions and includes information relevant to the period from 24 June to 23 July 2020. Impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) 6. On 13 March 2020, the Secretariat informed the Syrian Arab Republic through a note verbale that, in view of the recent events related to the COVID-19 outbreak, and in line with measures announced by the Dutch authorities, inter alia, the Director-General had taken the decision to postpone all scheduled deployments and missions of the Secretariat until further notice. This includes missions to take place in the Syrian Arab Republic. 7. The travel restrictions notwithstanding, the Secretariat is continuing its mandated activities related to the Syrian chemical weapons programme and its engagement with the Syrian Arab Republic in this regard. The Secretariat is monitoring the situation closely and will keep the States Parties duly informed of the next developments. Progress achieved by the Syrian Arab Republic in meeting the requirements of Executive Council decisions EC-M-33/DEC.1 and EC-M-34/DEC.1 8. Progress by the Syrian Arab Republic is as follows: (a) As stated in previous reports, the Secretariat has verified the destruction of all 27 chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) declared by the Syrian Arab Republic. (b) On 16 July 2020, the Syrian Arab Republic submitted to the Council its eightieth monthly report (EC-95/P/NAT.1, dated 16 July 2020) regarding activities on its territory related to the destruction of its chemical weapons and CWPFs, as required by paragraph 19 of EC-M-34/DEC.1. Progress in the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons by States Parties hosting destruction activities 9. As stated in previous reports, all of the chemicals declared by the Syrian Arab Republic that were removed from its territory in 2014 have been destroyed. Activities carried out by the Technical Secretariat with respect to Executive Council decisions EC-81/DEC.4 and EC-83/DEC.5 10. The Declaration Assessment Team (DAT) continues its efforts to clarify all outstanding issues regarding the initial declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic in accordance with paragraph 3 of Council decision EC-81/DEC.4 and paragraph 6 of Council decision EC-83/DEC.5. EC-95/DG.1 page 3 11. The Director General submitted to the Council at its Ninety-Fourth Session a Note entitled “Report on the Work of the Declaration Assessment Team” (EC-94/HP/DG.2, dated 29 June 2020). The report updated the Council on the progress of the work of the DAT, and concluded that, at present, considering the identified gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies in the Syrian Arab Republic’s declaration that remain unresolved, the Secretariat assesses that the declaration submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic still cannot be considered as accurate and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”), Council decision EC-M-33/DEC.1, and United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013). 12. As previously reported, the Director-General sent a letter dated 21 April 2020 to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, H.E. Dr Faisal Mekdad, with a document containing an updated status of outstanding issues and the proposed plan of action for their resolution, as discussed in October 2019 during the latest round of consultations. In the letter, the Director-General requested the Syrian National Authority to submit further information in accordance with this plan at the earliest opportunity. The Director-General and Deputy Minister Mekdad have since exchanged further letters regarding this request.1 As at the date of this report, the Secretariat was awaiting the requested information, which will allow it to prepare the next round of consultations as soon as conditions permit. 13. In accordance with paragraph 10 of Council decision EC-83/DEC.5, the Secretariat is continuing to assess conditions for the conduct of inspections at the sites identified by the OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism in its third and fourth reports. The Secretariat will do so while also taking into account the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on OPCW activities. 14. Pursuant to paragraph 11 of Council decision EC-83/DEC.5, the Secretariat is planning to conduct two rounds of inspections of the Barzah and Jamrayah facilities of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) in 2020. The conduct of further inspections of these facilities will be subject to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on OPCW activities. 15. With regard to the finding of a Schedule 2.B.04 chemical that was detected during the third round of inspections at the Barzah facilities of the SSRC, exchanges of correspondence between the Secretariat and the Syrian authorities to resolve this issue have continued. The Syrian Arab Republic has yet to provide sufficient technical information or explanations that would enable the Secretariat to close this issue.2 The 1 Letter from Deputy Minister Mekdad to the Director-General dated 16 June 2020 and letter from the Director-General to Deputy Minister Mekdad dated 26 June 2020. 2 Note verbale dated 7 November 2019 sent by the Syrian Arab Republic to the Secretariat; note verbale dated 20 February 2020 sent by the Secretariat to the Syrian Arab Republic; note verbale dated 12 March 2020 sent by the Syrian Arab Republic to the Secretariat; note verbale dated 21 April 2020 sent by the Secretariat to the Syrian Arab Republic; note verbale dated 12 May 2020 sent by the Syrian Arab Republic to the Secretariat; and note verbale dated 19 June 2020 sent by the Secretariat to the Syrian Arab Republic. EC-95/DG.1 page 4 Secretariat will continue its engagement with the Syrian Arab Republic in this regard and will inform the Council in due course. 16. The Director-General submitted to the Council at its Ninety-Fourth Session a report entitled “Status of Implementation of Executive Council Decision EC-83/DEC.5 (Dated 11 November 2016)” (EC-94/DG.20, dated 3 July 2020), which provided a further update regarding the status of implementation of EC-83/DEC.5. Other activities carried out by the Technical Secretariat with respect to the Syrian Arab Republic 17. On 2 July 2020, the Secretariat provided States Parties with a presentation to inform them of the status of the Secretariat’s mandated activities in the Syrian Arab Republic pertaining to the full elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme. These activities are comprised of the work of the DAT, the FFM, and the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT), as well as the conduct of inspections pursuant to Council decision EC-83/DEC.5 and the removal of the remote monitoring system that was established in accordance with EC-M-43/DEC.1 (dated 24 July 2014). 18. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) continues to provide support to the OPCW Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic in accordance with the Tripartite Agreement concluded between the OPCW, UNOPS, and the Syrian Arab Republic. This agreement facilitates the Secretariat’s mandated activities in the Syrian Arab Republic pertaining to the full elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme, and to any subsequent decision or resolution of the relevant organs of the OPCW or the United Nations, as well as any bilateral agreements concluded between the OPCW and the Syrian Arab Republic. The current extension of the Tripartite Agreement is valid through 30 September 2020. 19. 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. Activities carried out with respect to the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in Syria 20. Guided by Council decisions EC-M-48/DEC.1 and EC-M-50/DEC.1 (dated 4 February 2015 and 23 November 2015, respectively), as well as by United Nations Security Council resolution 2209 (2015), the FFM continues to study all available information relating to allegations of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. 21. Regarding the incident of alleged use of chemical weapons in Aleppo on 24 November 2018, the Secretariat has deployed to the Syrian Arab Republic three times to conduct interviews, visit hospitals, and receive samples provided by the Syrian Arab Republic. Additionally, since May 2019, exchanges of correspondence have been ongoing between the Secretariat and both the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation in relation to the Secretariat’s request for information collected by the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear specialists of the Russian EC-95/DG.1 page 5 Federation regarding this allegation.3 The Secretariat is continuing to engage with the Syrian Arab Republic to clarify this issue and will inform the Council of the outcome in due course. During the Ninety-Fourth Session of the Council, the Director-General called upon all States Parties to share with the Secretariat information potentially relevant to this allegation. 22. While continuing its engagement with the Syrian Arab Republic with regard to this and other incidents, the FFM is continuing to analyse information collected from its most recent deployments. The conduct of further FFM deployments will be subject to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on OPCW activities. The FFM will report to the Council on the results of its work in due course. Activities carried out by the Technical Secretariat with respect to decision C-SS-4/DEC.3 of the Conference of the States Parties at its Fourth Special Session related to the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic 23. Decision C-SS-4/DEC.3 (dated 27 June 2018), adopted by the Conference of the States Parties (hereinafter “the Conference”) at its Fourth Special Session, addresses, inter alia, the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. 24. Pursuant to paragraph 10 of C-SS-4/DEC.3, the Secretariat established the IIT to identify the perpetrators of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic by identifying and reporting on all information potentially relevant to the origin of those chemical weapons in those instances in which the FFM determines or has determined that use or likely use occurred, and cases for which the OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism did not issue a report. 25. Following its first report issued on 8 April 2020,4 the IIT is continuing its investigations and will issue further reports in due course. Pursuant to paragraph 24 of decision C-SS-4/DEC.3, the Director-General submitted to the Council at its Ninety-Fourth Session a report entitled “Progress in the Implementation of Decision C-SS-4/DEC.3 on Addressing the Threat from Chemical Weapons Use” (EC-94/DG.17, dated 1 July 2020). 3 Note verbale dated 21 May 2019 sent by the Secretariat to the Russian Federation; note verbale dated 11 June 2019 sent by the Russian Federation to the Secretariat; note verbale dated 23 December 2019 sent by the Secretariat to the Russian Federation; note verbale dated 23 December 2019 sent by the Secretariat to the Syrian Arab Republic; note verbale dated 24 January 2020 sent by the Russian Federation to the Secretariat; note verbale dated 21 April 2020 sent by the Secretariat to the Syrian Arab Republic; note verbale dated 30 April 2020 sent by the Russian Federation to the Secretariat; note verbale dated 7 May 2020 sent by the Syrian Arab Republic to the Secretariat; and note verbale dated 13 May 2020 sent by the Secretariat to the Russian Federation. 4 “First Report by the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team Pursuant to Paragraph 10 of Decision C-SS-4/DEC.3, ‘Addressing the Threat from Chemical Weapons Use’, Ltamenah (Syrian Arab Republic) 24, 25, and 30 March 2017” (S/1867/2020, dated 8 April 2020). EC-95/DG.1 page 6 Activities carried out by the Technical Secretariat with respect to Executive Council decision EC-94/DEC.2 26. At its Ninety-Fourth Session, the Council adopted a decision entitled “Addressing the Possession and Use of Chemical Weapons by the Syrian Arab Republic” (EC-94/DEC.2, dated 9 July 2020). In paragraph 5 of the decision, the Council decided to request, pursuant to paragraph 36 of Article VIII of the Convention, that the Syrian Arab Republic complete all of the following measures within 90 days of this decision in order to redress the situation: (a) declare to the Secretariat the facilities where the chemical weapons, including precursors, munitions, and devices, used in the 24, 25, and 30 March 2017 attacks were developed, produced, stockpiled, and operationally stored for delivery; (b) declare to the Secretariat all of the chemical weapons it currently possesses, including sarin, sarin precursors, and chlorine that is not intended for purposes not prohibited under the Convention, as well as chemical weapons production facilities and other related facilities; and (c) resolve all of the outstanding issues regarding its initial declaration of its chemical weapons stockpile and programme. 27. In paragraph 6 of EC-94/DEC.2, the Council decided that the Director-General shall report to the Council and all States Parties, within 100 days of this decision, on whether the Syrian Arab Republic has completed all of the measures contained in paragraph 5 of the decision. The Council also decided that if the Syrian Arab Republic has not fully completed all of the measures within the specified period of 90 days, the Director-General shall report to all regular sessions of the Council on the status of the implementation of this decision. 28. In paragraph 8 of the decision, the Council further decided, pursuant to Articles IV and V of the Convention, that the Secretariat shall conduct inspections, including where appropriate sampling and analysis, twice each year at two sites identified in the IIT report as directly involved in launching chemical weapons attacks—the Shayrat airbase and the Hama airbase of the Syrian Arab Republic—on dates to be determined by the Secretariat, with full and unfettered access to all areas, buildings and structures at these sites, including all rooms within buildings, as well as to their contents and to personnel. The Council decided also that the Secretariat shall conduct such inspections until the Council decides to cease them; and decided further that the Syrian Arab Republic shall facilitate promptly, and fully cooperate with, these inspections. 29. In paragraph 12 of the decision, the Council decided that the Director-General shall regularly report to the Council on the implementation of this decision, and decided also that the Director-General shall provide a copy of this decision and its associated reports by the Secretariat to all States Parties and to the United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly through the United Nations Secretary-General. EC-95/DG.1 page 7 30. Accordingly, the Secretariat made a copy of EC-94/DEC.2 available to all States Parties on 9 July 2020, and on 16 July 2020 transmitted a copy of this decision to the United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly through the United Nations Secretary-General. On 20 July 2020, the Director-General sent a letter to Deputy Minister Mekdad to outline the obligations of the Syrian Arab Republic under EC-94/DEC.2 and to indicate the readiness of the Secretariat to assist the Syrian Arab Republic in the fulfilment of these obligations. 31. In further accordance with paragraph 12 of EC-94/DEC.2, the Secretariat will transmit subsequent reports on its implementation to the United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly through the United Nations Secretary-General. Supplementary resources 32. The Trust Fund for Syria Missions was established in November 2015 to support the FFM and other remaining activities, which presently include the work of the DAT and IIT, and the biannual inspections of the SSRC. As at the cut-off date of this report, total contributions to this fund stood at EUR 32.8 million. Contribution agreements had been concluded with Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, and the European Union. Conclusion 33. The future activities of the OPCW Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic will focus on the work of the FFM; the implementation of Council decisions EC-83/DEC.5 and EC-81/DEC.4, including declaration-related issues; inspections at the Barzah and Jamrayah sites of the SSRC; the implementation of Conference decision C-SS-4/DEC.3; and the implementation of Council decision EC-94/DEC.2.