NOTE BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL PROGRESS IN THE ELIMINATION OF THE SYRIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMME / EC-82/DG.5

NOTE 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 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 Eight-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-first monthly report, is therefore submitted in accordance with the aforementioned Council decisions, and includes information relevant to the period from 24 March to 21 April 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) As reported previously, with respect to the 27 chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) declared by the Syrian Arab Republic, the Secretariat has EC-82/DG.5 page 2 verified the destruction of 24, and three remain to be verified as destroyed. The security situation continues to prevent safe access to destroy one aircraft hangar and to confirm the condition of at least one of the two stationary above-ground facilities. The Syrian Arab Republic is exploring the possibility to safely access the other stationary facility. (b) On 15 April 2016, the Syrian Arab Republic submitted to the Council its twenty-ninth monthly report (EC-82/P/NAT.2, dated 15 April 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 the Syrian Arab Republic 7. The Director-General has continued to communicate with senior officials of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic. 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. 8. The Secretariat and the Syrian authorities have maintained their ongoing cooperation on outstanding issues regarding the Syrian initial declaration, as encouraged by the Council at its Seventy-Sixth Session (paragraph 6.17 of EC-76/6, dated 11 July 2014). 9. In accordance with Council decision EC-81/DEC.4, the Director-General, together with the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT), has begun preparations to engage senior Syrian officials in order to address the unresolved issues, including gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies, in the Syrian Arab Republic’s declaration and related submissions, which were identified in the Note by the Director-General, EC-81/HP/DG.1 (dated 22 February 2016). 10. At the same time, the DAT, in continuation of its efforts to verify the accuracy and completeness of the Syrian Arab Republic declaration, will also review the analytical results of the samples taken during its fourteenth visit, which took place in January 2016, before engaging the Syrian authorities. The analytical results are expected to arrive from the designated laboratories in the near future. 11. The Steering Committee, which is comprised of representatives from the OPCW, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the Syrian Arab Republic, discussed amending the tripartite agreement during its meeting in Beirut held from 5 to 7 April 2016. Notably, the amendments would accommodate the extension of support provided by UNOPS to the OPCW mission until the end of November 2016, EC-82/DG.5 page 3 and the logistical and administrative support that UNOPS will provide to the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM). Also discussed was the extension of the agreements with contractors involved in the delayed destruction of the remaining aircraft hangar (CWPF). 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. Supplementary resources 12. 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 5.6 million had been concluded with Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, 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 13. In the reporting period, the FFM 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 Security Council resolution 2209 (2015). The OPCW also continues to extend its full cooperation and support to the JIM. Conclusion 14. 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 and confirmation of the status of the two stationary above-ground facilities.