By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
DAMASCUS, Syria – The United States and Russia have announced an agreement designed to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons supplies by mid-2014. Syria has been given one week to provide a list of its full chemical weapons stockpiles and must allow for United Nations chemical weapons inspections immediately.
If Syria fails to uphold the agreement, it may be enforced by a UN resolution under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter which allows for sanctions and military intervention. There is currently no such resolution in place, but President Obama reiterated his position that “if diplomacy fails, the United States remains prepared to act.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry provided a six point outline of the plan:
- The amount and type of chemical weapons must be agreed upon and “rapidly” placed under international control
- Syria must submit within one week a comprehensive listing of its stockpiles
- Extraordinary procedures under the Chemical Weapons Convention will allow “expeditious destruction”
- Syria must give inspectors “immediate, unfettered access” to all sites
- All chemical weapons must be destroyed, including the possibility of removing weapons from Syrian territory
- The U.N. will provide logistical support, and compliance may be enforced under Chapter VII
“Providing this framework is fully implemented it can end the threat these weapons pose not only to the Syrian people but also to their neighbours,” Kerry said. “Because of the threat of proliferation this framework can provide greater protection and security to the world.
“The world will now expect Assad’s regime to live up to its commitments… There can be no room for games. Or anything less than full compliance.”
Not unexpectedly, General Salim Idris of the Free Syrian Army heavily criticized the agreement.
“We cannot accept any part of this initiative,” he said. “The FSA will work towards toppling Assad and does not care about US-Russia deals. I and my brothers in arms will continue to fight until the regime falls.”
He added that the FSA was “frustrated, and feels betrayed by the international community. It has no faith the UN will ever support it”.
For further information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Syria given week to declare chemical weapons – 14 September 2013
BBC – US and Russia agree Syria chemical weapons deal – 14 September 2013
Reuters – U.S., Russia agree on Syria weapons, Obama says force still option – 14 September 2013
Washington Post – U.S., Russia reach agreement on seizure of Syrian chemical weapons arsenal – 14 September 2013
