Thank you High Representative Nakamitsu for your briefing.
We note – again – that no progress has been made on this file since our last meeting.
Syria is still not fulfilling its obligations in line with the Chemical Weapons Convention and Security Council resolution 2118.
This lack of progress is concerning – not only for Syria, but for all of us in upholding the global prohibition against the use of chemical weapons.
Norway remains steadfast in its confidence in the work of DG Arias and the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW.
We firmly reject any efforts to discredit its important work.
We regret that the twenty-fifth round of consultations between the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT) and Syrian authorities has not been held. Due to Syrian authorities’ refusal to issue visa to the DAT’s lead technical expert.
We continue to remind Syria of its obligation to cooperate with the OPCW, and to accept, and provide, access for OPCW’s personnel.
Furthermore, we will continue to urge Syria to provide sufficient information to the OPCW, in order to resolve the 20 outstanding issues from Syria’s initial declaration.