Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at
the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.
"It has been a year since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
This new Syrian government has provided hope that Assad-era
chemical weapons will be verifiably identified and eliminated,
once and for all.
The United Kingdom applauds the continued commitment of Syria's
leadership to comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention and to
meet its obligations under Resolution 2118 and we commend the
continued professionalism and dedication of the OPCW technical
secretariat staff who carry out their work in Syria under
difficult conditions.
In 2025, Syria and the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons made important progress under challenging
circumstances.
First, multiple OPCW deployments to Syria have increased our
understanding of the scale and scope of Assad's chemical weapons
programme. Evidence found of an undeclared chemical weapons
programme was a stark reminder of the threat in Syria and to the
wider region.
Second, a Syrian-led decision on expedited destruction was
adopted by the OPCW Executive Council in October allowing Syria
and the OPCW to deal with dangerous elements of Assad's programme
upon discovery.
And third, a Syrian-led decision adopted at the Conference of the
States Parties in November was an important step towards
restoring Syria's rights and privileges at the OPCW.
The United Kingdom welcomes the establishment of a continuous
OPCW presence in Syria and the appointment of a new Syrian
Permanent Representative to the OPCW in the Hague. We pay tribute
to Qatar for representing Syria since January 2025.
These milestones provide a foundation for Syria and the OPCW
secretariat to accelerate their work in 2026; however, there
remain challenges to overcome.
Significant and sustainable financial and in-kind support from
the international community is needed to deliver the elimination
of Assad's remnant chemical weapons programme.
The United Kingdom is proud to support Syria in this respect,
having contributed over $3.8million since December 2024 to OPCW
Syria missions. We will continue to provide technical expertise
to both Syria and the OPCW.
We urge Council members and the wider international community to
assist in this endeavour.
President, this Council has spent more than a decade discussing
this file.
With clear commitment from Syria's leadership to eradicate
chemical weapons and to seek accountability for their use, we
hope to see continued progress in 2026 to deliver these important
outcomes for the Syrian people."
