REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DECISION EC-83/DEC.5 (DATED 11 NOVEMBER 2016)

REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DECISION EC-83/DEC.5 (DATED 11 NOVEMBER 2016) 1. In accordance with subparagraph 12(a) of the decision of the Executive Council (hereinafter “the Council”) at its Eighty-Third Session 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 Director-General shall regularly inform the Council on the implementation of this decision. 2. In accordance with paragraph 11 of EC-83/DEC.5, the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) shall “conduct inspections, including sampling and analysis, 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 the Syrian Arab Republic shall “facilitate promptly, and fully cooperate with, these inspections”. On 19 January 2017, the Syrian Arab Republic was notified of a forthcoming inspection, with 29 January 2017 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. The Syrian Arab Republic subsequently indicated that the inspection could proceed. The inspection team has now completed the first inspection at both facilities in accordance with paragraph 11 of EC-83/DEC.5. The Council and the States Parties will be further informed about this inspection in due course. 3. In accordance with paragraph 10 of EC-83/DEC.5, “the Secretariat shall, as soon as security conditions permit, conduct inspections in the Syrian Arab Republic at those sites identified by the OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism in its third and fourth reports as involved in the weaponisation, storage, delivery, and use of toxic chemicals as weapons”. The security conditions at present do not permit inspections at the sites in question. The Secretariat will continue to monitor the security situation through the United Nations Department of Safety and Security. 4. Also in accordance with paragraph 10 of EC-83/DEC.5, “the Secretariat shall retain and promptly analyse any information or materials, including samples from the Syrian chemical weapons programme, that it considers relevant to existing or future allegations of chemical weapons possession or use”. The Secretariat has begun the process of analysing such information and materials, including samples. EC-84/DG.25 page 2 5. With respect to paragraph 6 and subparagraph 12(b) of EC-83/DEC.5, the Director-General has submitted to the States Parties a Note entitled “Report on the Work of the Declaration Assessment Team” (EC-84/HP/DG.1, dated 2 March 2017). This highly protected document has already been made available to the States Parties. 6. The Director-General will continue to keep the Council informed of matters relating to the implementation of EC-83/DEC.5.