DECISION REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL REGARDING THE DECLARATION AND RELATED SUBMISSIONS BY THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC The Executive Council, Recalling the decision by the Executive Council (hereinafter “the Council”) entitled “Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons” (EC-M-33/DEC.1, dated 27 September 2013) and recalling also the recognition in that decision of the extraordinary character of the situation posed by Syrian chemical weapons; Recalling further the letter of the Director-General dated 3 October 2013 transmitting United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), dated 27 September 2013, which decided inter alia that “the Syrian Arab Republic shall comply with all aspects of the decision of the OPCW Executive Council of 27 September 2013”; Recalling further the Note by the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) entitled “Report on the Work of the Declaration Assessment Team Covering the Period April 2014 to September 2015” (EC-80/P/S/1, dated 25 September 2015); Recognising further that at its Eightieth Session the Council underscored the substantial unresolved issues, including the gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies identified by the Secretariat in its report (EC-80/P/S/1) and stressed the importance of fully verifying that the declaration and related submissions of the Syrian Arab Republic are accurate and complete, as required by the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”) and EC-M-33/DEC.1; Recognising further that the Council requested the Secretariat and the Syrian Arab Republic to expedite their efforts to resolve these gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies and further requested that the Director-General provide a report to the Council before its Eighty-First Session that details all unresolved issues, in particular specifying those for which no further progress has been possible; Noting that, since April 2014, the Secretariat’s Declaration Assessment Team has conducted 15 rounds of consultations with the Syrian National Authority, visited sites in the Syrian Arab Republic, and collected and analysed samples at some sites, and expressing appreciation to the Declaration Assessment Team personnel for their courage and dedication in carrying out their assignment; EC-81/DEC.4 page 2 Cognisant of the Note by the Director-General, provided in advance of the Eighty-First Session of the Council, entitled “Report on the Work of the Declaration Assessment Team Regarding the Declaration and Related Submissions by the Syrian Arab Republic” (EC-81/HP/DG.1, dated 22 February 2016); and Noting that the Director-General intends to include as part of his monthly reports to the Security Council made through the Secretary-General pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) a copy of this decision and information on its implementation; Hereby: 1. Expresses concern regarding the Report of the Director-General (EC-81/HP/DG.1) indicating the gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies that remain with respect to chemical weapons facilities, activities, munitions, and chemical materials, and concluding that the Secretariat is unable at present to verify fully that the declaration and related submissions of the Syrian Arab Republic are accurate and complete, as required by the Convention and EC-M-33/DEC.1; 2. Expresses concern that, with respect to these gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies, the Director-General has reported that no further progress has been possible for nine of 17 unresolved issues regarding the Syrian declaration and related submissions; 3. Requests the Secretariat, through the Declaration Assessment Team, to continue its efforts, on an expedited basis, to verify the accuracy and completeness of the declaration and related disclosures of the Syrian Arab Republic, and to address the gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies it has identified; 4. Requests the Director-General, in parallel with the efforts of the Declaration Assessment Team, to meet with officials of the Syrian Arab Republic: (a) The Director-General’s engagement is intended (1) to address the unresolved issues, including the gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies identified by the Secretariat in its report (EC-81/HP/DG.1); and (2) to underscore the importance of fully verifying that the declaration and related submissions of the Syrian Arab Republic are accurate and complete, as required by the Convention and EC-M-33/DEC.1; and (b) The Director-General shall inform the Council of the outcome of this engagement in advance of the Eighty-Second Session of the Council; 5. Requests that the Director-General report to the Council at all future sessions any unresolved issues regarding the Syrian declaration and related submissions; 6. Calls upon the Syrian Arab Republic to cooperate fully with the Director-General’s engagement as well as in the continuing activities of the Secretariat’s Declaration Assessment Team; and 7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.