[Peace-discuss] OPCW Director-General on Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use in Douma, Syria

[Roger Helbig]

Much more accurate source than rant from FAB's buddy Rokke, who probably
knows nothing about the incident in UK either - I think I sent this list
the preliminary report on that - if not, I will.

Roger

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: OPCW Public Affairs <public.affairs at opcw.org>
Date: Mon, Apr 9, 2018 at 2:54 AM
Subject: OPCW Director-General on Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use in
Douma, Syria


[image: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]
<http://opcwpublicaffairs.cmail19.com/t/d-l-ohdtuid-wukhjutyu-r/>

*For Immediate Release*
OPCW Director-General on Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use in Douma, Syria

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — 9 April 2018 — The Director-General of
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador
Ahmet Üzümcü, expressed his grave concern in response to the alleged
chemical weapons attack on 7 April in Douma, Syrian Arab Republic.

The OPCW Situation Centre has been closely monitoring the incident and made
a preliminary analysis of the reports of the alleged use of chemical
weapons immediately after they were issued. The Fact Finding Mission
(FFM) is in the process of gathering further information from all available
sources to establish whether chemical weapons were used. The FFM will
report its findings to States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Background

The Chemical Weapons Convention comprehensively prohibits the use,
development, production, stockpiling and transfer of chemical weapons.

In response to persistent allegations of chemical weapon attacks in Syria,
the OPCW Fact Finding Mission (FFM) was set up in 2014 “to establish facts
surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals, reportedly chlorine,
for hostile purposes in the Syrian Arab Republic”.  The FFM is required to
study available information relating to allegations of use of chemical
weapons in Syria, including information provided by the Syrian Arab
Republic and others.

Since May 2014, the OPCW has deployed the FFM in numerous occasions to the
Syrian Arab Republic and outside of Syria and has kept States Parties
informed of its work. The FFM interviews witnesses and obtains samples and
physical evidence for analysis.

In 2015, the OPCW Executive Council and the UN Security Council endorsed
the continual operation of the FFM.

The FFM’s findings established the facts surrounding allegations of the use
of toxic chemicals as weapons in Syria and confirmed that chemical weapons
had been used. The FFM’s findings were the basis for the work of the
OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), an independent body
established by the UN Security Council (Resolution 2235, 7 August 2015).
The JIM’s purpose was to identify the perpetrators of the chemical weapon
attacks confirmed by the Fact Finding Mission. The JIM’s mandate expired in
December 2017.

As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW
oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate
chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997 – and
with its 192 States Parties – it is the most successful disarmament treaty
eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.

Over ninety-six per cent of all chemical weapon stockpiles declared by
possessor States have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its
extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the
2013 Nobel Prize for Peace.
More Information

OPCW Fact Sheets
<http://opcwpublicaffairs.cmail19.com/t/d-l-ohdtuid-wukhjutyu-y/>
Media Inquiries

OPCW Public Affairs
Johan de Wittlaan 32, 2517 JR
<https://maps.google.com/?q=Johan+de+Wittlaan+32,+2517+JR+%0D%0AThe+Hague,+The+Netherlands&entry=gmail&source=g>
The Hague, The Netherlands
+ 31 70 416 32 42
public.affairs at opcw.org
www.opcw.org
<http://opcwpublicaffairs.cmail19.com/t/d-l-ohdtuid-wukhjutyu-j/>

*For information only. Not an official record.*

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