Attachments
Letter dated 29 September 2020 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council
I have the honour to transmit herewith the eighty-fourth monthly report of the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), submitted pursuant to paragraph 12 of Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) (see annex). The report covers the period from 24 August to 23 September 2020.
The report presents the activities of OPCW in implementing Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) and the relevant provisions of the OPCW Executive Council decisions in relation to the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme.
The report provides a summary of the status of the work of OPCW on this issue, with the priority areas for further OPCW activities outlined therein.
The Declaration Assessment Team continues its efforts to clarify all outstanding issues related to the initial declaration submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic, and the fact-finding mission continues to study all available information related to allegations of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The Investigation and Identification Team continues its investigations into incidents in which the fact-finding mission determined that chemical weapons were used or likely used in the Syrian Arab Republic and will issue further reports in due course.
The OPCW Technical Secretariat is engaging with the Syrian Arab Republic for the implementation of Executive Council decision EC-94/DEC.2.
As I have stated previously, the use of chemical weapons anywhere by anyone and under any circumstances is intolerable, and impunity for their use is equally unacceptable. It is imperative to identify and hold accountable all those who have used chemical weapons. Unity in the Security Council is essential to achieve this urgent obligation.
(Signed) António Guterres
[Original: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish]
I have the honour to transmit to you my report entitled “Progress in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme”, prepared in accordance with the relevant provisions of OPCW Executive Council decision EC-M-33/DEC.1 and Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), both dated 27 September 2013, for transmission to the Security Council (see enclosure). My report covers the period from 24 August to 23 September 2020 and also covers the reporting requirements of Executive Council decision EC-M-34/DEC.1, dated 15 November 2013.
(Signed) Fernando Arias