AFP – Syria’s foreign minister pledged to destroy the chemical weapons stockpiles built up under ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, in a historic speech to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) global watchdog.
Asaad al-Shaibani was the first ever Syrian representative to address the executive council of the OPCW in The Hague.
Former president Assad was repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons during Syria’s 13-year civil war, and there has been widespread concern about the fate of Syria’s stocks since his December 8 ouster.
“The Assad regime chemical weapons programme represents one of the darkest chapters in both Syria and the world’s history,” Shaibani told delegates.
More than a decade ago, Syria agreed to hand over its declared stockpile for destruction, but the OPCW believes the declaration was incomplete and more weapons remain unaccounted for.Shaibani vowed to “rebuild Syria’s future for a foundation of transparency, justice, cooperation with the international community”.
“This chemical weapons programme, created under the Assad era, is not our programme… Nevertheless, our commitment is to dismantle whatever may be left from it, to put an end to this painful legacy,” he said.
Assad’s ouster has offered a “new and historic opportunity” to finally document and destroy the chemical weapons stockpile in Syria, OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias told delegates in an opening speech.
Last month, Arias met Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in a first visit to Damascus since rebels toppled Assad.
“With this visit, we started to lay the foundation for cooperation with the new Syrian authorities based on trust and transparency,” said Arias.
