Statement by Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission

21 Apr 2014

Statement by Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission

19 April 2014 - With today's movement, the Syrian Arab Republic has removed or destroyed in-country approximately 80 percent of its chemical weapons material.

Further engagement is expected to sustain momentum and to complete removal operations during the next days, with a view to concluding the entire elimination of the country's chemical weapons programme within the deadlines set by the OPCW Executive Council.

"The renewed pace in movements is positive and necessary to ensure progress towards a tight deadline," said Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission in Damascus.

The Syrian Arab Republic has further completed destruction of empty mustard gas containers, and made progress closing chemical weapons production and storage sites.