Madame President,

I would like to congratulate you on Ireland’s assumption of the Presidency of the Security Council for September and wish you every success. I also commend India for a successful Presidency last month and thank High Representative Nakamitsu for her briefing.

As expected, the most recent monthly report of the OPCW Director General yet again points to identified gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies in Syrian regime’s chemical weapons declaration. The OPCW therefore cannot confirm whether that declaration is accurate and complete.

The increasing number of outstanding issues is a matter of great concern to us. The presence of an undeclared chemical weapons production facility is a case in point.

The regime still fails to declare the chemical warfare agents produced and/or weaponised at this site, in violation of its obligations.

Equally worrisome is the revelation that Assad regime had moved two chlorine cylinders related to the Douma chemical attack. This happened despite the warnings from the OPCW Technical Secretariat and without its consent, let alone prior knowledge.

This is another stark example of Assad regime’s non-compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The regime must be urged to provide all relevant information regarding the movement of the two cylinders and any remains of their destruction.

For this to happen, the unity of the Security Council is indispensable.

Madame President,

Türkiye has supported the efforts within the OPCW to bring the regime to compliance by co-sponsoring the Executive Council decision of July 2020 and the decision adopted during the second part of the 25th Conference of State Parties in April.

Such measures, supported by overwhelming majority of states parties, are vitally important to ensure accountability in Syria.

Madame President,

The use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime against its own people is well documented, with an ever-growing track-record.

Most recently, with the two reports of the IIT, it has now been proven that the regime is responsible for at least eight chemical weapons attacks.

We strongly condemn the use of chemical weapons by the regime.

The IIT plays a critical role to identify the perpetrators of chemical weapons use.

The regime must be compelled to cooperate with the IIT for its operations in Syria, including by issuing visas and granting access to confidential information relating to its chemical military program.

The regime must also fulfill its obligations to issue a visa for the new OPCW team leader to be deployed in Damascus.

Türkiye regrets attempts that question the objectivity of the work carried out by the OPCW Technical Secretariat and its investigative bodies. We reiterate our support to the independence, professionalism and impartiality of the Technical Secretariat.

Madame President,

The appropriate response to the regime’s brazen violations of international law cannot and should not be the ongoing inaction at the Security Council.

The regime’s war crimes and crimes against humanity require immediate steps towards full accountability.

We owe this to the victims of Ghouta attack, which marked its 8th anniversary last month. We have to take action to honour the innocent victims of all chemical attacks.

We strongly condemn the repeated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in Ghouta and elsewhere.

Ending impunity is a pressing task for the international community, especially for the Council, to achieve peace in Syria.

Thank you.