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New Syrian Government Applies to Join International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, on the 13th Anniversary of the Ghouta Chemical Attack.
Joint statement from France and Syria announcing that the government in Damascus is seeking membership of the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, launched by France in January 2018. The announcement came on the anniversary of the 2013 Ghouta chemical attack that killed more than 1,400 people near Damascus. Syria said that it would disclose any remaining stockpiles of toxic substances, and that these would be handed over for destruction.
The French Foreign Ministry described Syria's membership request in a statement as "a clear demonstration of Syria's commitment to strengthening accountability and justice and combating impunity."
Since the 2013 handover of chemical arms declared by Assad's regime to prevent US strikes, the OPCW has accused Assad's forces of additional use of toxic arms in several incidents, keeping Syria's file open at the international watchdog. Now under new leadership, the Syrian government is reportedly attempting to shift its stance and counter a history of implicating former President Bashar Assad in using sarin.
Syria handed over all its declared chemical weapons to be destroyed in 2013 under an agreement negotiated by US Secretary of State John Kerry with Assad in order to avert a planned US military strike on Damascus.
Syria's membership in the Partnership, and its fulfillment of its obligations, would be a welcome step for the West if the new Syrian government were to cooperate fully with the OPCW to verify whether any remaining chemical weapons exist and to disclose and destroy them.
