Syria must explain chemical warfare agents — watchdog

The world’s chemical weapons watchdog is pressing Syria to explain why it has four undeclared warfare agents, its head says Wednesday, after a US official accuses Damascus of continuing to hoard a toxic stockpile.

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons chief Ahmet Uzumcu says despite previous declarations by Syria, OPCW teams have found indications of five additional chemical agents.

After recent consultations with The Hague-based OPCW’s secretariat, Syria “declared research and development of one more chemical agent,” Uzumcu says in a report released last week, of which AFP was given a copy on Wednesday.

But “at present, Syria has not yet adequately explained the presence of indicators of four chemical warfare agents,” Uzumcu says.

The OPCW chief adds that “new information” offered by Damascus has failed to resolve outstanding issues on Syria’s chemical warfare program.

“In many instances, such new information presents a considerable change in narrative… from previous information — or raises new questions,” Uzumcu says.

Uzumucu says the OPCW’s secretariat believed if Syria’s effort continued “without a change in approach” its declaration “is unlikely to yield concrete results.”

— AFP