OPCW Examining Syria's Explanations On Sample Analysis Results - UN Disarmament Envoy

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published April 07, 2021 | 01:50 AM

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th April, 2021) The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is studying a note verbale sent by Syria with explanations regarding analysis results of samples collected in September last year, UN Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said on Tuesday.

Nakamitsu said that in February, the OPCW Declaration Assessment Team (DAT) shared the results of the analysis of these samples with the Syrian authorities.

"DAT received preliminary comments from the Syrian technical experts regarding the presence of chemicals identified in these samples, some of which were unexpected," Nakamitsu told the UN Security Council.

Nakamitsu said the OPCW Technical Secretary received a note verbale from Syria on March 8 with further explanations regarding the sample analysis results.

The Technical Secretariat is analyzing these explanations and additional engagement with the Syrian national authority, she added.

Throughout the Syrian conflict, which has been ongoing since 2011, Damascus has been accused of using chemical weapons against the civilian population. The Syrian side has been continuously denying these allegations.

In 2014, the OPCW set up the fact-finding mission to establish the truth about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Russia has accused the OPCW of being biased against Syria and claimed that the organization was being used as a political tool by Western countries to put pressure on "undesirable" states.