United Nations (TDI): Pakistan has called for independent verification and sustained international support to ensure the complete elimination of suspected chemical weapons in Syria, while welcoming Damascus’s renewed cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon, said Islamabad supports continued engagement between Syria and the OPCW Technical Secretariat to bring closure to the long-standing chemical weapons issue.
He said Pakistan looks forward to Syria’s ongoing cooperation in line with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and relevant Security Council resolutions, stressing the importance of completing the verification process as soon as possible to address any remaining risks of proliferation.
The Security Council’s 15 members met to review Syria’s chemical weapons dossier, focusing on compliance, monitoring mechanisms and international obligations related to the use and elimination of chemical arms.
Ambassador Jadoon highlighted the need to narrow the gap between the information Syria is required to provide and the technical capacity available to its authorities. In this context, he said continued international assistance to both Syria and the OPCW remains essential.
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While reaffirming Pakistan’s opposition to the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances, the envoy said Islamabad supports Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, describing them as vital for lasting peace and stability. He also voiced Pakistan’s support for an inclusive, Syrian-led political process.
Jadoon noted that Syria’s fragile security environment has been worsened by Israel’s occupation of parts of Syrian territory and repeated military strikes, which he said have also disrupted the OPCW’s technical work on the ground.
Pakistan, he added, recognises Syria’s stated commitment to implementing the CWC, securing suspected chemical weapons sites and resolving outstanding issues related to its chemical programme.
Earlier in the session, Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, told the Council that the OPCW has been unable to fully verify the accuracy of Syria’s original chemical weapons declaration since 2014.
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He said Syria’s current authorities are now cooperating with the OPCW to clarify the full scope of the programme, including more than 100 additional sites beyond the 26 locations previously declared. Some of these sites, he warned, are located in insecure areas, posing serious risks to inspection teams.
Describing the government’s cooperation as “commendable,” Ebo said there is a critical opportunity to resolve outstanding questions and eliminate all remaining chemical weapons. He urged Security Council members to demonstrate leadership and ensure sustained international support for the process.
