Statement by Špela Košir, Deputy Political Coordinator of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations, at the UNSC meeting on the situation in the Middle East

Thank you Mr. President.

At the outset, I thank the High Representative Nakamitsu for her informative briefing today and I welcome the representatives of Syria and Türkiye to the meeting.

Mr. President,

Slovenia firmly condemns the use of chemical weapons anywhere by anyone, and under any circumstances. We therefore reiterate the imperative of identifying and bringing to justice those responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria and elsewhere.

We take note of the information provided by the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on the latest developments and we remain concerned over the numerous unresolved issues regarding the Syrian chemical weapons programme.

Syria needs international assistance to address its chemical weapons stockpiles. We are therefore encouraged by the ongoing collaboration between the Syrian Arab Republic interim authorities and the OPCW in efforts to identify the remaining elements of its chemical weapons programme.  

The cooperation is already yielding visible results, as demonstrated by the recent identification of nerve agent indicators at one of the locations visited by the Declaration assessment team (DAT) in April. Moreover, it now appears that the undeclared chemical weapons programme has been larger in scope that previously thought, with OPCW now deciding to inspect more than 100 additional locations that may have been involved in chemical weapons-related activities, which we heard from the High Representative today as well.

It is therefore essential to establish a comprehensive picture of the chemical weapons programme developed in Syria, while at the same time ensuring the safety of OPCW personnel and their Syrian counterparts. With this in mind, Slovenia reaffirms its support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, which is key for regional stability, and calls on Israel to respect the demilitarized zone and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

At the same time, we call on the Syrian interim authorities to maintain and consolidate the cooperation with the OPCW in order to fulfil the obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and to comply with relevant OPCW decisions and the Security Council resolutions.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, allow me to reaffirm Slovenia’s full support for the work of the OPCW. The Organisation’s work contributes towards achieving a future without the threat of chemical weapons. It is vital for strengthening the stability of Syria, and the wider region. We stand ready to support all efforts that will enable the Syrian people to build the peaceful and secure future they both want and deserve.

I thank you.

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