Press Statement
Syrian Coalition
Istanbul, Turkey
October 15, 2013
The Syrian Coalition, and the General Staff of the Free Syrian Army, reiterate their commitment to fully cooperate with members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), as they carry out their duties in dismantling and destroying the Assad regime’s chemical weapons. The Assad regime has used those weapons to kill 1.400 civilians in eastern and western Gouta on August 21, 2013.
The Syrian Coalition wishes that the Director-General of OPCW, Mr. Ahmet Üzümcü, will, in the future, choose his remarks with more precision. There are regime-controlled chemical weapons sites that are in areas besieged by the FSA, however there are no chemical weapons sites that are controlled by rebel brigades.
The OPCW has not yet communicated with the Syrian Coalition. This lack of contact must come to an immediate end. Continued communication with the Coalition, and the General Staff of the FSA is needed to ensure the safety of the UN-OPCW team. We express this concern in light of the fact that the Assad regime is likely to exploit the the chaos across Syria in attempt to jeopardize the safety of members of the mission.
The Coalition reaffirms that, unlike what the regime has claimed, there are no chemical weapons sites under the control of FSA or any other groups in liberated areas. The Syrian Coalition and the General Staff of the FSA reiterate their readiness to fully cooperate with the international mission, to facilitate their work and ensure their full protection.
We ask for Mercy for our martyrs, health for our wounded, and freedom for our detainees.
Long live Syria and its people, free and with honor.
