Press Releases

18 December 2013 - As requested by the OPCW Executive Council, Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü yesterday submitted to the Council a plan for destroying the Syrian Arab Republic’s chemical weapons outside of the country. The plan aims to meet a deadline set by the Council to destroy Syria’s priority…

14 December 2013 - During a two-day visit to Sweden that concluded today, Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü had separate meetings with the Prime Minister, Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Bildt. The Director-General provided the Prime Minister and Foreign…

11 December 2013 - OPCW Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü this morning met in Oslo with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Ms Erna Solberg, and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Borge Brende. He updated them on the work of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission in Syria and discussed options for Norway’s…

10 December 2013 - Ahmet Üzümcü commends practical, verifiable results of chemical disarmament. - Says that partnerships with science, industry and civil society are key. - Urges states outside the Chemical Weapons Convention to join. - Announces that Prize money will be used to fund annual OPCW…

30 November 2013 - OPCW receives expressions of interest from 35 private companies to destroy other Syrian chemicals In a statement to the OPCW Executive Council on Friday 29 November 2013, Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü announced that the United States has offered to contribute a destruction…

27 November 2013 - Following the issuance of the second monthly progress report regarding the OPCW- UN Joint Mission in Syria, a meeting of the Executive Council of the OPCW was held on 26 November 2013. In his opening statement, Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü stated that "the resolve to eliminate…

22 November 2013 - In accordance with the decision of the OPCW Executive Council’s adopted on 15 November 2013 which requested the Director-General of the Organisation to explore ‘options for destruction in commercial chemical disposal facilities’ of a range of chemicals declared by Syria, the OPCW…

15 November 2013 - Most critical chemicals to leave Syria by end of 2013 - Over 60 percent of unfilled warheads and bombs destroyed The OPCW Executive Council (EC) approved today a detailed plan of destruction to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. In the plan, Syrian chemical weapons will…

6 December 2013 The Joint Mission has now verified that all Category 3 (unfilled) munitions declared by the Syrian Arab Republic have been destroyed. The team has also verified the destruction of additional special features of buildings and structures at chemical weapons production facilities that…

6 November 2013 Further progress made by the team, following completion of 27 October and 1 November targets The OPCW-UN Joint Mission has now verified 22 of the 23 sites. The additional site inspected is in the region of Aleppo and was one of the two sites that could not be visited earlier due to…