Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon, Deputy Permanent Member of Pakistan to the United Nations. Photo APP
UNITED NATIONS:
Pakistan welcomes Syria’s cooperation with the technical secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and has emphasized the need for independent verification to eliminate suspected chemical weapons in Syria that were developed under the Assad regime and any risk of proliferation.
“We look forward to their continued cooperation, in full compliance with CWC and Security Council resolutions, to close the Syrian chemical weapons case as soon as possible,” Pakistan’s acting permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Usman Jadoon told the UN Security Council on Thursday.
The 15-member council had met to discuss Syria’s “chemical weapons archive”, focusing on issues related to the use, monitoring and compliance with international obligations regarding chemical weapons.
As highlighted by the technical secretariat, the Pakistani envoy said it was also important to bridge the gap between “what the Syrian Arab Republic has to deliver and the capabilities it has at its disposal”.
“Continued international support to Syria and the Technical Secretariat therefore remains critically important,” he said.
At the same time, Ambassador Jadoon said Pakistan supports Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, which are essential for lasting peace and stability, while supporting an inclusive, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political process.
The Pakistani envoy pointed out that Syria’s security situation is seriously affected by Israel’s military occupation of parts of Syrian territory and its continued attacks on Syrian sites and facilities, which has also hampered the technical work of the OPCW.
Pakistan, he said, appreciates the commitment of the Syrian authorities to fully implement the CWC, secure suspected chemical weapons sites and address outstanding issues, while Islamabad reaffirms opposition to the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances.
At the start of the debate, Director and Deputy High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Adedeji Ebo told the Council that since 2014, the OPCW has not been able to verify the accuracy of Syria’s initial declaration on chemical weapons.
He said Syria’s new government is now working with the OPCW’s technical secretariat to clarify the full scope of the program, including more than 100 additional sites beyond the 26 declared locations. Some sites are in hazardous areas, posing a risk to inspection teams.
Welcoming the government’s “laudable” cooperation, Ebo stressed that there is a “critical opportunity” to achieve long-awaited clarifications and eliminate all chemical weapons, and called on Council members to “show leadership” and provide sustained international support.
