OPCW Director-General meets with Turkish Foreign Minister

The OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, and the Foreign Minister of Turkey, H.E. Mr Ahmet Davutoğlu, met in London on 23 August 2013. They are in the United Kingdom on separate visits.

The Director-General briefed the Foreign Minister on developments relating to the operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the work of the OPCW, in particular its participation in the UN investigation into allegations of use of chemical weapons in Syria. They supported the call for a thorough investigation made by the UN Secretary-General in the wake of renewed reports of possible use of chemical weapons and large civilian casualties in the suburbs of Damascus.

They agreed on the importance of this mission to ascertain the facts as any use of chemical weapons was reprehensible and contrary to international legal norms.  

They noted that OPCW expertise was already part of the UN investigation team presently in Syria which is not a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention.