Tirana, 9 May 2023 (TDI): The Political Coordinator of Albania, Arian Spasse, spoke at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Syria on May 8, discussing the use of chemical weapons in the territories of Syria.
The release of the IIT’s third report, which confirmed that the Syrian Air Force utilized chemical weaponry on April 7, 2018, in Douma and killed forty-three individuals, is warmly welcomed in Albania.
Despite adopting Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) in 2013, ten years later, a need—approach applauds that Syria must dismantle its chemical weapons program.
Albania applauds the OPCW for its efforts, notably those of the Fact-Finding Mission and the Investigation and Identification Team, in casting light on claims of the alleged usage of chemical munitions in Syria.
Further evidence of Syria’s persistent disregard for its commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and UN Security Council Resolution 2118 (2013) can be found in the report.
This is the ninth occasion that the UN and OPCW mechanisms have independently associated the Syrian regime with deploying weapons of mass destruction.
Spasse further spoke that chemical weapon use is a war crime, a crime against humanity, and a gross breach of international law.
Also Read: Arab League Reinstates Syria after ten years.
Albania strongly condemned the Syrian regime’s continued deployment of these heinous weapons, which violate international agreements. Justice must be served against those who used these arms.
Syria and the Declaration Assessment Team’s final talks were held in February 2021. There has yet to be an organization of the 25th round of hearings.
According to its responsibilities under the Chemical Weapons Convention and SC decision 2118 (2013), Syria continues to impose arbitrary conditions on the consultations and requests to exclude the primary technical adviser from the DAT.
While lamenting the Syrian Government’s ongoing resistance, the Secretariat proposed to send fewer DAT teams to Syria to conduct fewer operations.
There are still many vital things unanswered about Syria’s chemical weapons program. The OPCW Secretariat’s most recent two reports corroborate the ongoing inaccuracies and holes in Syria’s original disclosure.
There must be a resolution to the 20 open questions at this time. Syria must disclose the full scope of its chemical weapons program and resume complete adherence to SC Decision 2118 (2013) and the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The scheduled meeting between the Syrian MFA and the DG of the OPCW is something we eagerly anticipate. We are excited to see the findings of the ninth set of assessments at the Barzah and Jamraya plants in September 2022 with similar anticipation.
Albanian spokesperson regretted the Syrian government’s lack of cooperation with the OPCW Technical Secretariat and stated Syria is biding its time in the hopes that the Council’s attention would eventually turn away from the problem of the use of chemical weapons.
