OPCW Delegation Engages with New Syrian Leaders in Damascus
The OPCW delegation’s visit to Syria on February 8, 2025, marks the first engagement with the new leadership since Assad’s collapse. The discussions focused on Syria’s compliance with chemical weapons regulations and the dismantling of hazardous stockpiles, amid concerns about contamination from recent military actions. These talks aim to restore a workable relationship after years of stagnation with the former regime.
On February 8, 2025, a delegation from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Damascus to engage with Syria’s new leaders for the first time since the fall of Bashar Assad. The OPCW has previously documented instances of chemical weapons use by Assad’s government throughout Syria’s civil war, which has persisted for almost 14 years.
Syria became a member of the OPCW in 2013, primarily to prevent potential airstrikes following a chemical attack near Damascus. Despite this, Assad has consistently denied employing chemical weapons in the conflict. Most recently, it was reported that the Islamic State group utilized mustard gas against the town of Marea.
The delegation met with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, including technical experts seeking collaboration with their Syrian counterparts. Post-Assad’s regime change, the Qatari embassy in The Hague has been facilitating communication between the new Syrian leadership and the OPCW.
OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias described the discussions as “long, productive and very open,” emphasizing the visit as a foundational step in redeveloping a direct working relationship with Syria, which has been stagnant for eleven years under former authorities. Focus areas included Syria’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the OPCW’s support in clearing remnants of its chemical weapons program.
Following Assad’s overthrow, urgent meetings by the OPCW addressed the regulation and destruction of Syria’s toxic substance stockpile, including chlorine gas. Officials raised concerns that recent Israeli airstrikes on former military sites may have caused toxic contamination or disrupted the preservation of evidence.
Constituted in 1997 by the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW comprises 193 member states, all mandated to acknowledge and dismantle their chemical weapons programs. The organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its extensive efforts. Although steps were taken initially to catalogue Syria’s chemical stockpile, the deteriorating relations with Assad hindered progress in inspections, making this visit notably the first since 2022.
The OPCW was established to oversee the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which aims to eliminate all chemical weapons globally. Syria’s engagement with the OPCW began when the nation joined the treaty in 2013 amidst international tensions following confirmed chemical attacks. With over a decade of conflict, the documentation of chemical weapon usage is critical for international governance and accountability. The relations between the OPCW and former Syrian authorities were strained, complicating the organization’s inspections and operational capacity within the region.
The OPCW’s recent visit to Syria marks a significant moment in re-establishing communication with the new leadership following the overthrow of Bashar Assad. The discussions emphasized the need for compliance with international chemical weapons regulations and the necessity of eradicating residual chemical stockpiles. With concerns over possible contamination from military actions, the OPCW aims to reinvigorate its protocols to ensure safety and accountability in Syria’s post-conflict environment.
Original Source: indianexpress.com
