Damascus, Syria– A team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has visited former Syrian regime sites linked to the production and storage of chemical weapons, Reuters reports.
According to Friday’s report, Syrian new authorities facilitated the visit, allowing OPCW inspectors to access previously undisclosed chemical weapons facilities from the era of Bashar al-Assad, who was deposed three months ago.
The OPCW team conducted its inspection from March 12 to 21 as part of an effort to locate and oversee the dismantling of any remaining undeclared chemical weapons stockpiles.
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During their visit, inspectors accessed five sites, some of which had been damaged by looting or military strikes. The report indicates that several of these locations were never disclosed by the Assad regime in its previous declarations to the OPCW.
The inspection team reviewed classified documents and intelligence regarding Syria’s chemical weapons program. Reuters noted that Syrian authorities provided full cooperation and support for the mission within a short timeframe.
Reuters confirmed that “the OPCW team was granted security escorts and given unrestricted access to all requested sites and individuals.”
A diplomatic source involved in the discussions commented, “This visit underscores the transitional government’s commitment to cooperating with the international community in dismantling Assad’s chemical weapons program.”
Last week, Reuters reported that the U.S. government had presented Syria’s interim leadership with a series of conditions for easing economic sanctions, marking the first official dialogue between the two parties.
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According to the report, U.S. conditions included “the full destruction of any remaining chemical weapons stockpiles at military sites and comprehensive cooperation between Damascus and Washington in counterterrorism efforts.”
Earlier in February, OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias traveled to Damascus for talks with Ahmed Al-Sharaa, head of Syria’s transitional administration.
Following the meeting, Arias stated that his first visit to Damascus laid a foundation for future collaboration between the OPCW and Syrian authorities.
He emphasized that “Syria’s transitional leadership now has an opportunity to turn the page on the obstruction tactics previously employed by the former regime to hinder OPCW operations.”
Arias also noted that discussions with Al-Sharaa covered Syria’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the potential for further OPCW support in eliminating any remnants of the Assad regime’s chemical weapons program.
