Syria - Q&A - Excerpts from the daily press briefing (02.02.18)

A - We have taken note of the American statements regarding the Syrian regime’s chlorine and sarin gas production capacities.

The successive reports by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons also indicate that the organization is not able to confirm that the declaration issued by Syria in 2013 listing its stock of chemical weapons is complete or in compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. UNSCR 2118 stipulates that Syria shall fully cooperate with the OPCW.

This is of the utmost concern to us. France does not accept that the Chemical Weapons Convention can be challenged.

We are actively working with our partners on this issue and on all reports of new chemical weapons attacks in Syria. We are carefully examining the information we receive. We are also awaiting the expert assessment of the operational international investigative mechanisms, and above all the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM).

On January 23, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, launched the International Partnership against Impunity for Use of Chemical Weapons. 24 states and organizations have joined the partnership in order to signal their refusal to accept the impunity of those responsible for chemical weapons attacks.