OPCW: Good Progress on Syria Chemical Disarmament

Plan Will Have Removal of Chemicals Done by April

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has addressed the ongoing effort toward complete disincorporation of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal, saying that “good progress” has been made and that around one third of the chemical precursors will be removed by week’s end.

The OPCW went on to reveal a new plan was submitted by Syria on the shipments which would have the last of he chemicals out of the country by the end of April.

US officials have been condemning Syria for not getting the process done sooner, saying they are deliberately dragging their feet. The OPCW has conceded that the process is difficult, because Syria is shipping through the port of Latakia, deep in rebel territory, and the rebels have repeatedly attacked shipments.

Diplomats familiar with the situation say that even though the hope was for the shipments to be done sooner, even if they aren’t finished until the end of April there should still be time to complete the disincorporation by the end of June.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.