The Hague:The State of Qatar emphasized the significance of the progress made in dismantling the remnants of Syria's chemical weapons program from the previous regime. Qatar highlighted this achievement as a significant milestone for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the importance of multilateral efforts in realizing tangible outcomes.
According to Qatar News Agency, this statement was delivered by Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani, Qatar's Ambassador to the Netherlands and its Permanent Representative to the OPCW, during the 113th Session of the Organization's Executive Council in The Hague. The session addressed the agenda item regarding the elimination of any remnants of Syria's chemical weapons program inherited from the former regime.
Qatar's involvement since representing Syria at the OPCW, in collaboration with allied nations, has contributed to Syria regaining its rights and privileges, marking significant progress on this long-standing issue, according to Dr. Al Qahtani. The collaboration has facilitated coordination, information sharing, and support for verification activities, enabling a breakthrough in removing remnants of the program.
Dr. Al Qahtani called for a clear and practical roadmap through coordination between the OPCW's Technical Secretariat and the Syrian government. This plan should establish a timeframe, implementation phases, and priorities to achieve the complete and verifiable elimination of the program's remnants, in line with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and relevant OPCW decisions.
Additionally, Dr. Al Qahtani urged States Parties to continue supporting Syria in meeting its Convention obligations. This support is crucial to preventing the emergence or spread of chemical weapons and allowing the Technical Secretariat to pursue its work effectively and sustainably.