Greece pressed for a united response at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Syria’s chemical weapons file and also reaffirmed its support for protecting the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Speaking during discussions on both countries, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Angeliki Baltá, set out Athens’ position in support of enforcing international rules on chemical weapons and defending fundamental rights.
UN sees unresolved gaps in Syria chemical weapons declarations
Adedeji Ebo of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs briefed the Security Council on the implementation of Resolution 2118, which the body adopted in 2013 to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons programme.
Ebo said major questions still surround the completeness of the declarations submitted by Syria’s former government. Since 2014, the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, has not been able to confirm that the earlier declaration was accurate and complete because it contained insufficient and inaccurate information.
UN officials also voiced serious concern that the unresolved issues may involve large quantities of chemical agents and munitions that were never declared or fully verified.
More than 100 additional sites may be tied to the program
The information collected so far suggests that the issue extends well beyond the 26 declared facilities linked to chemical weapons. Investigators believe more than 100 other sites may have played a role in activities connected to the previous government’s program.
Syria’s new authorities are now working with the OPCW to determine the full scale and scope of that program. Since March 2025, teams have visited more than 20 locations, collected 19 samples and secured more than 6,000 documents. Officials have also handed over 34 sealed boxes of documents for further analysis.
Ebo described this as a critical opportunity for the disarmament and non-proliferation regime and urged Security Council members to act together so the effort to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria can move forward.
Greece backs Syria disarmament and the ban on chemical weapons
In her remarks, Baltá reaffirmed Greece’s full support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. She also backed a fully inclusive political transition led and owned by Syrians, in line with Security Council Resolution 2254.
She called on Council members to remain united in upholding Resolution 2118 and the international norm against the use of chemical weapons.
Baltá also welcomed the continued constructive cooperation between the OPCW Technical Secretariat and Syria’s transitional authorities. She urged Syria’s National Authority to work closely with the organisation to resolve the 19 outstanding issues that remain on the file.
Greece repeats support for OPCW and women’s rights in Afghanistan
The Greek envoy also reiterated her country’s commitment to supporting the OPCW through its role on the organisation’s Executive Council and through financial contributions to the special trust fund that supports missions in Syria.
Alongside its intervention on Syria, Greece used the Security Council session to restate its support for the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, reinforcing a broader message focused on international law, accountability and human rights.