A delegation from the global chemical weapons regulatory body visited Damascus on Saturday to engage in discussions with the newly established Syrian leadership, marking their first interaction since the ousting of former President Bashar Assad.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has previously documented instances of repeated chemical weapon usage by the Assad administration throughout the country’s enduring civil conflict, which has persisted for nearly fourteen years.
Syria became a member of the OPCW in 2013 as a strategic move to avoid potential airstrikes that could result from a notorious chemical attack near the capital. Assad has consistently rejected allegations of using such weapons. Additionally, the OPCW reported last year that mustard gas was deployed by the Islamic State group against the town of Marea.
The OPCW team, which included technical experts, engaged with President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, with hopes of establishing a dialogue with their Syrian counterparts. Since Assad’s fall, the Qatari embassy in The Hague has played a vital role as a conduit between the OPCW and the new Syrian leadership.
According to OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias, the discussions were characterized as “long, productive, and very open.” He noted that this visit represents a significant initial step towards reestablishing a direct cooperative relationship between the OPCW and Syria, particularly after eleven years of stagnation under the previous regime.
The agenda during the meetings emphasized Syria’s obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, alongside the ways the OPCW could assist in addressing the remnants of the nation’s chemical weapons program. The OPCW responded swiftly with an emergency meeting shortly after Assad was deposed in December, underscoring the importance of adhering to standards for security and destruction of hazardous materials, including chlorine gas.
Furthermore, OPCW officials expressed their apprehension regarding the impact of Israeli airstrikes on the military sites of the former Syrian army, which may have resulted in contamination from toxic substances or hindered the preservation of critical evidence.
As mandated, the OPCW’s 193 member countries are obliged to declare their chemical weapons inventories and ensure their dismantlement. Established in 1997 through the Chemical Weapons Convention, the organization aims to eliminate all types of chemical warfare and was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its efforts.
The OPCW made initial strides in cataloging Syria’s chemical weapon stockpile, which included elements like sarin and chlorine, but an increasingly strained relationship with Assad’s government significantly limited further inspection efforts. This weekend’s visit marked the OPCW’s first trip to Syria since 2022.
