Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ahmet Yıldız, said the Syrian government had demonstrated determination and strong resolve to address the country’s chemical weapons file in close coordination with the international community.
Yıldız spoke at a UN Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East. The session addressed the issue of eliminating chemical weapons from Syria.
Call for transparency from Syria’s new government
Yıldız said the chemical weapons issue in Syria was one of the most serious legacies left by the era of deposed Bashar al-Assad. He said the new Syrian government had demonstrated determination to resolve the issue through transparency and direct cooperation with the international community.
Yıldız said sustainable progress on the chemical weapons file could be achieved through practical, phased and coordinated cooperation with Syria, taking conditions on the ground into account. He added that Turkey continued to support Syria in this regard and to strengthen its technical and logistical capacity.
Warning over Israeli strikes
Yıldız said Turkey welcomed Syria’s progress on its chemical weapons file, adding that significant challenges remained in identifying and destroying the remnants of the previous government’s chemical weapons program.
Yıldız said Israeli airstrikes on possible chemical weapons facilities after the fall of the previous government had made these challenges even greater. He warned that the strikes could cause hazardous materials to leak and put civilians living in surrounding areas at risk.
Yıldız said the strikes could also damage evidence that may be critical to establishing the facts about past chemical weapons use and ensuring accountability. He reiterated Turkey’s strong support for Syria’s efforts on its chemical weapons file and called on all member states to fully support this work.
