Undeclared chemical weapons found in Syria, including type used in notorious Ghouta massacre

Key points

• Izumi Nakamitsu briefed the Security Council on Thursday on the findings by the UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which deployed a team to Syria in May.
• Inspectors found undeclared chemical munitions, related materials and extensive documentation.
• “These findings are a momentous discovery, not just for Syria, but for international security and the global disarmament regime,” Ms. Nakamitsu told the Council.
• Access all areas The discovery closes a long-standing gap in Syria’s accounting of its chemical weapons programme.
• Since 2014, the OPCW had been unable to confirm that Syria’s declaration – submitted by the government of ousted President Bashar al-Assad – was accurate or complete.