The Hague, Netherlands – The global chemical weapons watchdog convened an urgent session on Thursday to address the unfolding crisis in Syria following the recent upheaval surrounding President Bashar Assad’s regime. Concerns have escalated over Syria’s cache of toxic chemicals in the aftermath of Assad’s ouster.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) delivered a stern message to Syria earlier this week, emphasizing the nation’s imperative obligation to adhere to international protocols regarding the safekeeping and elimination of hazardous substances, including chlorine gas. This directive came in light of rebel forces breaching the capital city of Damascus over the weekend.
Despite persistent denials from Assad’s administration regarding the use of chemical weapons, the OPCW unearthed compelling evidence suggesting otherwise in the backdrop of the protracted civil conflict. Earlier this year, the organization uncovered the Islamic State group’s deployment of mustard gas in an assault on the town of Marea.
In an unusual move, the OPCW’s executive council took the initiative to convene this emergency meeting, hopeful that with the emergence of a new governing body, a window of opportunity might materialize for its team of 80 inspectors to resume investigations into Syria’s chemical weapons program.
The deposed Syrian leadership is laying the groundwork for a gradual transfer of authority to a forthcoming transitional government under the leadership of Mohammed al-Bashir, purportedly a key figure in the rebel coalition’s administrative apparatus known as the “salvation government” in the southwestern stronghold.
The OPCW’s previous extraordinary meeting was summoned in 2018 in response to the heinous chemical assault on Douma, a town in close proximity to Damascus, resulting in the tragic loss of nearly 40 lives due to poisonous gas exposure. Subsequently, the watchdog confirmed that the Syrian Armed Forces had deployed chlorine gas canisters during a significant military campaign.
Syria acceded to the OPCW in 2013 in a bid to avert potential airstrikes following a chemical attack on the outskirts of Damascus. Under the auspices of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the organization’s 193 member states are mandated to disclose any existing chemical weapons programs and dismantle them, underscoring the overarching goal of eradicating all forms of chemical weaponry. In recognition of its pivotal role in global peace efforts, the OPCW was honored with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 2013.
The current meeting serves as a critical juncture in the ongoing saga of Syria’s chemical weapons saga, with stakeholders recalibrating their strategies in response to the evolving political landscape. The international community remains vigilant, cognizant of the imperative to uphold stringent safeguards and accountability mechanisms to prevent the recurrence of catastrophic chemical incidents.
As the deliberations unfold in The Hague, the world watches with bated breath, cognizant of the grave stakes inherent in ensuring the effective regulation and dismantlement of chemical arsenals. The OPCW’s mission stands as a beacon of hope amidst the turmoil, embodying the collective resolve of nations to safeguard global security and uphold the sanct
