Removal and Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons

Transcription

1 Removal and Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons Chemical Demilitarisation Branch

2 UN Investigation of CW Use in Syria UN team (including OPCW and WHO experts) arrived in Damascus on 18 August 2013 Alleged chemical attack occurred in suburb of Damascus on 21 August 2013 UN team accessed sites of alleged attack from 26 to 29 August 2013 Ø Team took samples, interviewed witnesses and examined munitions Ø A UN led Investigation report (released in September 2013) concluded that CW was used Ø UN Team had no Mandate to investigate who did the attack

3 Operation Platform: OPCW-UN Joint Mission As a result of OPCW Executive Council decision and UN Security Council Resolution: OPCW-UN Joint Mission was established in October 2013 Ø Support base established in Cyprus Ø OPCW and UN established coordinated trust funds Ø Agreement concluded between OPCW, UN and Syria concerning status of OPCW-UN Joint Mission for elimination of Syrian CW ( SOMA )

4 4 Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Declaration of Syrian Chemical Weapons 14 September accession to the CWC 23 October submission of Initial Declaration 19 September Disclosure 14 October CWC Entry into Force 2013 Syria declared possession of Chemical Weapons, Chemical Weapons Production Facilities, Abandoned Chemical Weapons, other CW-related facilities and Riot Control Agents, import of chemicals for Chemical Weapons program and for industrial purposes. Ten (10) amendments to initial declaration received until 1 December 2014

5 Syria Chemical Weapons Inspections Objectives: Elimination of Syrian CWs and Verification of Syrian Declarations: Initial inspections of CW production and storage facilities Destruction of CW production capabilities Destruction of CW munitions and some chemicals on-site Planning for removal of chemicals from Syria in order for quick destruction OPCW inspectors organised as multidisciplinary inspection teams plus supporting staff in Damascus Security situation in Syria: serious impacts on planning but manageable

6 Syria CW Programme: Declared Chemicals Category 1 chemicals: Seven (7) different chemicals Chemical warfare agents or chemicals used in the binary chemical weapon systems Approximately 1,040 tonnes Category 2 chemicals: Thirteen (13) different chemicals Approximately 260 tonnes Approximately 1,300 tonnes total declared chemicals

7 Syria CW Programme: Storage of Chemicals Mustard tanks in Storage facility DF tanks and sealed valve

8 Syria CW Programme: Storage Facilities Syria declared twelve (12) Chemical Weapons Storage Facilities (CWSFs) OPCW inventoried all declared chemicals in CWSFs OPCW verified that all declared chemicals were removed from CWSFs and CWSFs were closed OPCW verified that all declared chemicals were removed from Syria (except Isopropanol destroyed inside Syria)

9 Syria CW Programme: Production Facilities Syria declared twenty-seven (27) Chemical Weapons Production Facility (CWPF); Such facilities were render not operational when Syria acceded the Treaty; All production equipment were verified as destroyed on October and November 2013; OPCW verified so far the destruction of thirteen (13) CWPFs Eight mobile units Five above-ground structures

10 Syrian CW programme: Precursors Production CW Precursors Production Facility

11 Transfer of Chemicals Outside of Syria Syria packed and transferred chemicals from storage sites to Port of Latakia by road, using equipment provided by the Assisting States Parties and UN OPCW verified that all chemicals were inventoried, packed and moved to port of Latakia; OPCW verified the leaving chemicals in Port of Latakia: Random sampling and on-site analysis for agent characterisation Verification of OPCW applied seals on drums, tanks, cylinders and maritime containers used to carry chemicals Visual observation

12 Inventory and Packing Working together for a world free of chemical weapons HF cylinder sealed by OPCW with IMDG designation HF tanks before HF tanks after packing inside shipping container

13 Transfer Operation: International Fleet Taiko: Norwegian vessel carried category 1 and 2 chemicals to Finland and category two chemicals to US ArkFutura Danish vessel carried category 1 chemicals (DF and HD) for tarnsloading to Cape Ray. In addition, some category 1 chemicals and 2 chemicals to UK and Finland Cape Ray: US vessel equipped with Field Deployable Hydrolysis System to neutralise DF and HD on board

14 Transfer of chemicals by International Fleet

15 Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Chemicals Destruction Outside of Syria Destruction of chemicals was organised through in-kind contribution of some States Parties (US, UK and Germany) or in commercial disposal facilities (Finland and US) Cape Ray-US vessel In-kind contribution by US Received and completed destruction of 20 tonnes of sulfur mustard and 580 tonnes of DF Ekokem-Finland Commercial facility selected by tender process Received and completed destruction of 320 tonnes of category 1 & 2 chemicals Destroying DF effluents resulted from Cape Ray operation (28% progress) Ellesmere Port High Temperature Incinerator-UK In-kind contribution by UK Received and completed destruction of 200 tonnes of category 1 & 2 chemicals;

16 Cape Ray: Field Deployable Hydrolysis System

17 Destruction outside of Syria Mexichem-UK In-kind contribution by UK Will destroy 7 tonnes of HF by January 2015 Veolia ES Technical Solutions- US Commercial facility selected by tender process; Received 65 tonnes of category 2 chemicals Completed 65% of destruction GEKA, Munster-Germany In-kind contribution by Germany Destroying HD effluents resulted from Cape Ray operation (36% progress)

18 Destruction of chemicals Progress Progress in Destruction of Syrian Chemicals and Related Materials As of 1 Decmber 2014 Total Category 1* Total Category 2** Total Chemicals (Cat. 1 and 2) Total Amount Amount Destroyed Destroyed (%) 1,046,981 kg 1,046,981 kg 100.0% 261,040 kg 231,856 kg 88.8% 1,308,021 kg 1,278,837 kg 97.8% * ** Total amount comprises the quantities of Category 1 chemicals which have been transferred outside of Syria and which have already been destroyed in Syria (isopropanol). Amount destroyed comprises the quantities of Category 1 chemicals destroyed outside Syria (by the commercial facilities and on the Cape Ray) and destroyed in Syria (isopropanol); Total amount comprises the quantities of Category 2 chemicals transferred outside of Syria Amount destroyed comprises the quantities of Category 2 chemicals destroyed by the commercial facilities Effluents Total Amount Amount Destroyed Destroyed (%) Fluorinated effluents (DF) Ekokem, Finland 5,867,000 kg 1,617,320 kg 27.6% Effluents containing Sulfur (HD) GEKA, Germany 333,520 kg 120,235 kg 36.1%

19 Conclusions Working together for a world free of chemical weapons OPCW since November 2013: Inspected all Syrian Chemical Weapons Storage Facilities and verified that all were emptied Verified that 100% of declared chemicals were either destroyed in Syria or removed form its territory Verified that 98% of removed chemicals have been destroyed Verified that all accessible Chemical Weapons Production Facilities were inspected and disarmed; Verified that half of production facilities were destroyed and the other half are planned to be destroyed by 2015

20 Complete Chemical Demilitarisation: Way Forward OPCW continues verification of another fourteen (14) CWPFs yet to be destroyed by 2015 Five tunnels Seven hangers Two structures (not accessible currently due to their location within the anti- government forces controlled areas) Declarations Assessment Team Fact Finding Mission

21 Challenges Internal Unprecedented operation for OPCW Working together for a world free of chemical weapons Time constraints due to Executive Council expedited timelines Unforeseen situations made planning difficult Lack of some of required expertise and technical skills within TS Legal interpretations/ Treaty complications Lack of required policies External Political pressure and debate between States Parties Security situation in Syria Public Opinion, NGOs, Social Media Logistics challenge International Maritime Regulations

22 Thank You