Türkiye has welcomed progress in efforts to identify and eliminate the remnants of Syria's chemical weapons programme, praising the Syrian government's cooperation with international inspectors and calling for stronger international support to achieve a chemical weapons-free Syria.
Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Ahmet Yildiz, Türkiye's permanent representative to the UN, described Syria's chemical weapons dossier as one of the most troubling legacies of the era of the former Bashar Assad regime.
"The chemical weapons fight in Syria remains one of the most tragic and disturbing legacies of Assad era," Yildiz said.
Despite challenges, Yildiz said recent developments have created "grounds for optimism," pointing to the Syrian government's willingness to work closely with the international community and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Yildiz welcomed the progress achieved through cooperation between Syrian authorities and the OPCW Technical Secretariat, commending both sides for their efforts in advancing investigations and verification activities.
"To that end, we particularly commend the efforts undertaken jointly by Syria and OPCW in recent months to locate remnants of the former regime's clandestine chemical weapons programme, including undeclared chemical munitions, agents, equipment, and related documentation," Yildiz said.
He described the discoveries as an "important step" toward fully eliminating the remnants of Syria's former chemical weapons infrastructure, while also underscoring the suffering endured by Syrians during years of conflict under the al-Assad regime.
Yildiz acknowledged that resolving the chemical weapons file remains a highly technical and operationally complex task. Years of concealment and obstruction, he said, have left major information gaps that continue to "complicate" verification efforts and operational planning.
"We firmly believe that sustainable progress can only be achieved through gradual, practical, and well-coordinated cooperation with Syria, taking fully into account the realities on the ground," he said.
The ambassador highlighted the role of the Breath of Freedom Task Force, describing it as an important mechanism for coordinating technical and logistical support to the Syrian government. According to Yildiz, the initiative helps align international assistance with Syria's operational needs and priorities.
Türkiye, he said, remains committed to strengthening Syria's technical capabilities and preparedness in addressing chemical weapons-related challenges in accordance with OPCW standards.
As part of that effort, Türkiye hosted the first workshop of the task force in Ankara on Feb. 16-17 and is looking forward to the group's next meeting in The Hague, he added.
"We are encouraged by the Syrian government's stated commitment to ensuring accountability for chemical weapons attacks. The time is ripe to reinstate the suspended rights and privileges of Syria under the Chemical Weapons Convention," Yildiz said.
The ambassador also urged all member states to support international efforts aimed at eliminating Syria's remaining chemical weapons-related materials and ensuring their secure storage and destruction.
UN welcomes ‘significant’ breakthrough
Meanwhile, the UN has welcomed a “significant” breakthrough in efforts to uncover and eliminate the remnants of Syria's chemical weapons programme, following the discovery of previously undeclared chemical weapons-related materials by inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Briefing the UN Security Council, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said that cooperation between the OPCW and Syria's current government had produced substantial progress since the council's last meeting on the issue.
"Since the council's last meeting on this matter, the OPCW and the Syrian Arab Republic have continued to engage on how to eliminate any remnants of the chemical weapons program developed by the previous government," Nakamitsu said.
She said that Syria's current authorities have been working closely with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to clarify the full scope of the chemical weapons programme established under the previous Bashar Assad regime and to ensure long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
"Given the significant and longstanding challenges to overcome in these efforts, I welcome the continued cooperation on this important work, and I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made since the council's last meeting," she said.
According to Nakamitsu, a team from the OPCW's Office of Special Missions was deployed to Syria in early May to advance efforts to establish a "complete and accurate" inventory of any remaining elements of the chemical weapons programme deployed by the al-Assad regime.
Although the mission was still underway when the OPCW's latest monthly report was finalised, inspectors had already uncovered what the organisation described as a "significant" quantity of undeclared chemical weapons-related materials and documentation.
"The findings include dozens of chemical munitions previously undeclared to the OPCW, including the same type of aerial bombs," Nakamitsu said.
She described the discoveries as a landmark achievement with implications extending beyond Syria.
"These findings are a momentous discovery, not just for Syria, but for international security and the global disarmament regime," she said.
Nakamitsu credited the breakthrough to years of work by OPCW officials seeking to uncover the full extent of Syria's chemical weapons activities and ensure their elimination in accordance with international law.
She also praised the efforts of Security Council members who have consistently called for cooperation and accountability, as well as the commitment shown by Syria's current government and personnel working on the ground.
The UN disarmament chief reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to supporting international efforts to eradicate chemical weapons and uphold the global prohibition against their use.
