OPCW Restores Syria’s Voting Rights After Bashar Al-Assad Regime Fall

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) restored Syria’s voting rights on Thursday, citing a “significant change in circumstances” since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

“The global chemical weapons’ watchdog has announced it has handed voting rights back to Syria because “concrete steps” have been taken to address outstanding issues since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime”

Al Jazeera

OPCW said the decision followed “concrete steps” taken by Syria’s new authorities to address outstanding issues, including cooperation with the Technical Secretariat and initial steps toward destroying identified remnants.

Al Jazeera

DW reported the OPCW executive council adopted the decision in its Thursday session, co-sponsored by 67 states parties and adopted by consensus.

Al Jazeera linked the reinstatement to the earlier suspension in 2021, when Syria was stripped of rights for failing to declare the full scope of its chemical weapons programme and for repeated use of poison gas during the civil war.

OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias said the decisions reflect “tangible progress achieved through continued cooperation and constructive engagement between the Technical Secretariat and the Syrian Arab Republic,” with support from other states parties.

The National News quoted Arias saying the move “marks another milestone in the OPCW's efforts to achieve the complete and verified elimination of all remaining chemical weapons associated with the former Syrian government.”

Al-Jazeera Net

US Special Presidential Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack welcomed the restoration, calling it a “meaningful milestone” in a post on X.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed the decision as “a historic step” and wrote on X that Syria “regained all of its rights and privileges in the OPCW by unprecedented consensus among member states.”

The OPCW said the reinstatement provides a “robust framework” for advancing the next phase of verification and destruction activities under the aegis of the Executive Council.

“The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced on Thursday that Syria has again been granted full membership rights, following what it described as a significant change in circumstances since the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad”

Al-Jazeera Net

DW said the executive council welcomed progress including amending Syria’s initial declaration of chemical weapons, preparing facility agreements, facilitating verification activities, and taking initial steps toward destruction of identified remnants.

Al Jazeera added that Syria joined the OPCW in 2013 and agreed to destruction supervised by the watchdog, after it was believed to possess about 1,000 tonnes of toxins and after a suspected chemical attack in Ghouta in 2013.

The National News said OPCW inspectors have established a permanent presence inside Syria, allowing them to visit suspected chemical weapons sites, collect evidence and interview witnesses linked to attacks carried out during the conflict.