United States sees Assad’s downfall as a chance to permanently eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons

The United States views the downfall of Bashar al-Assad as a significant opportunity to eliminate Syria‘s chemical weapons, which have resulted in numerous casualties during the civil conflict, according to a senior U.S. official on Thursday.

Nicole Shampaine, the U.S. ambassador to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), stated in an interview with Reuters that Washington will provide strong support for the global chemical weapons watchdog’s efforts to dismantle Syria’s chemical stockpile. This statement comes ahead of a closed-door OPCW meeting focused on Syria in The Hague.

The meeting, scheduled to commence at 1430 GMT, is expected to see the OPCW’s director general request approval from key member states for funding and technical support necessary to carry out a lengthy chemical nonproliferation process in Syria.

Syria became a member of the OPCW in 2013 as part of a U.S.-Russian agreement, committing to the destruction of its chemical weapons. However, despite over a decade of inspections, Syria continues to retain prohibited munitions, and investigations have confirmed that such weapons were repeatedly deployed by Assad’s forces throughout the 13-year civil war.

Shampaine emphasized the importance of completing this task, stating that it presents a unique chance for Syria’s new leadership to collaborate with the international community and the OPCW to fulfill their obligations. She anticipates significant support for leveraging this opportunity to ensure Syria adheres to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

The OPCW, based in the Netherlands, is responsible for enforcing the 1997 chemical nonproliferation treaty and has overseen the destruction of 1,300 metric tons of Syrian chemical weapons and precursors, with a substantial amount processed on a U.S. vessel equipped with specialized hydrolysis systems.

Syria, under the rule of Assad and supported by Russia, has consistently denied allegations of using chemical weapons during the ongoing civil war. However, three separate investigations—conducted by a joint U.N.-OPCW mechanism, the OPCW’s Investigation and Identification team, and a U.N. war crimes inquiry—have determined that Syrian government forces employed the nerve agent sarin and chlorine-filled barrel bombs against opposition groups throughout the protracted conflict.

PRECARIOUS SITUATION

As Syria remains fragmented with numerous armed factions operating across the war-torn nation, the OPCW is likely to prioritize swift action to prevent any chemical weapons from being misappropriated.

According to diplomatic sources, immediate actions include identifying and securing chemical weapons sites, cataloging existing chemicals and munitions, and establishing safe methods for their destruction. The end of the Assad family’s 54-year reign also presents a chance to access locations where chemical weapons were deployed and gather crucial evidence.

Diplomats within the OPCW believe that Assad’s departure may facilitate access to the facilities involved in the production and storage of chemical weapons, which have included sarin, chlorine bombs, and other toxic munitions. The OPCW has engaged in 28 rounds of discussions with Assad’s administration, yet unresolved matters persist, particularly regarding “potentially undeclared, full-scale development and production of chemical weapons at two declared chemical weapons-related facilities,” as noted by OPCW chief Fernando Arias in November.

The matter will be addressed during Thursday’s meeting of the OPCW’s 41-member executive council, which has been called in response to the unexpected downfall of Assad’s government following a rapid rebel assault that broke a prolonged period of military deadlock.

“The Syrian regime, under Assad, has repeatedly employed chemical weapons, including sarin and chlorine barrel bombs, without ever reporting these incidents to the OPCW or ensuring their verified destruction. This raises significant proliferation concerns,” Shampaine stated.