News (Consolidated) - UNSOM

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…

16 December 2013 – [remarks as prepared for delivery - PDF] You will have seen or heard my briefing to the General Assembly on the report of the United Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. And of course, the full and final factual…

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…

13 December 2013 - [ PDF] I thank the President of the General Assembly for organizing this General Assembly meeting for me to be able to report on the United Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. The report includes the Mission's…

13 December 2013 - The Director-General expressed deep concern that the UN Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, led by Dr. Åke Sellström, had found further evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria. Ambassador Üzümcü said, "This further…

12 December 2013 - Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's remarks upon receipt of the Final Report of the United Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria, in New York, 12 December: As you just saw, I have now received the final report of the United…

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…

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…

4 December 2013 – Preparations are proceeding for removing Syria’s chemical agents out of the country for their destruction, the head of the joint mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations reported today, calling for continued support from the…

30 November 2013 - Press statement by Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator, OPCW-UN Joint Mission, Damascus Check against delivery Good morning, Thank you all for coming together today. I have had a very productive week here in Damascus and I am pleased to be able to talk to you before going to the…

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…