Editing Chemical Weapons Convention (section)

====Syrian destruction====
{{Main|Destruction of Syria's chemical weapons}}
Following the August 2013 [[Ghouta chemical attack]],<ref name=julianandpatrick>{{cite web |first1=Julian |last1=Borger |first2=Patrick  |last2=Wintour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/09/russia-syria-hand-over-chemical-weapons |title=Russia calls on Syria to hand over chemical weapons |work=The Guardian|date=9 September 2013 |access-date=9 May 2015 }}</ref> Syria, which had long been suspected of possessing chemical weapons, acknowledged them in September 2013 and agreed to put them under international supervision.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/world/middleeast/Syria-Chemical-Arms.html|title=In Shift, Syrian Official Admits Government Has Chemical Arms|date=10 September 2013|access-date=13 September 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Barnard|first=Anne}}</ref> On 14 September Syria deposited its instrument of accession to the CWC with the United Nations as the [[depositary]] and agreed to its provisional application pending entry into force effective 14 October.<ref name = "Syria_Accession">{{cite web|title=Depositary Norification|url=http://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/2013/CN.592.2013-Eng.pdf|publisher=United Nations|access-date=15 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/sgsm15274.doc.htm|title=Secretary-General Receives Letter from Syrian Government Informing Him President Has Signed Legislative Decree for Accession to Chemical Weapons Convention|date=12 September 2013|work=United Nations}}</ref> An accelerated destruction schedule was devised by Russia and the United States on 14 September,<ref>{{cite news|last=Gordon|first=Michael R.|title=U.S. and Russia Reach Deal to Destroy Syria's Chemical Arms|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/world/middleeast/syria-talks.html|access-date=15 September 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=14 September 2013}}</ref> and was endorsed by [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118]]<ref name="Michael Corder">{{cite news|author=Michael Corder |title=Syrian Chemical Arms Inspections Could Begin Soon |url=http://world.time.com/2013/09/27/syrian-chemical-arms-inspections-could-begin-soon/ |access-date=9 October 2013 |newspaper=[[Associated Press]]|date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020181433/http://world.time.com/2013/09/27/syrian-chemical-arms-inspections-could-begin-soon/ |archive-date=20 October 2013}}</ref> and the OPCW Executive Council Decision EC-M-33/DEC.1.<ref name="opcw.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/EC/M-33/ecm33dec01_e_.pdf|title=Decision: Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons|work=OPCW|access-date=28 September 2013|date=27 September 2013}}</ref> Their deadline for destruction was the first half of 2014.<ref name="opcw.org"/> Syria gave the OPCW an inventory of its chemical weapons arsenal<ref>{{Cite news|date=2013-10-06|title=Syria chemical arms removal begins|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-24419468|access-date=2021-08-11}}</ref> and [[destruction of Syrian chemical weapons|began its destruction]] in October 2013, 2 weeks before its formal entry into force, while applying the convention provisionally.<ref name=nbc_kerry>{{cite news |title=Kerry 'very pleased' at Syria compliance over chemical weapons |url=http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/07/20843265-kerry-very-pleased-at-syria-compliance-over-chemical-weapons?lite |access-date=9 October 2013 |newspaper=NBC News |date=7 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="reut6">{{cite news|author=Mariam Karouny|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-experts-idUSBRE99508920131007|title=Destruction of Syrian chemical weapons begins: mission|work=Reuters|date=6 October 2013|access-date=8 October 2013|archive-date=7 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007035957/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/07/us-syria-crisis-experts-idUSBRE99508920131007|url-status=live}}</ref> All declared Category 1 materials were destroyed by August 2014.<ref name=syriaend /> However, the [[Khan Shaykhun chemical attack]] in April 2017 indicated that undeclared stockpiles probably remained in the country. A [[Douma chemical attack|chemical attack on Douma]] occurred on 7 April 2018 that killed at least 49 civilians with scores injured, and which has been blamed on the Assad government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/09/politics/haley-un-russia-syria-attack/index.html|title=Haley says Russia's hands are 'covered in the blood of Syrian children'|author=Nicole Gaouette|website=CNN|date=9 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="bbc">{{cite news|title=Suspected Syria chemical attack kills 70|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-43686157|access-date=8 April 2018|work=BBC News|date=8 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/opcw-confirms-chemical-weapons-use-in-douma-syria/a-47747999|title=OPCW confirms chemical weapons use in Douma, Syria|work=DW|agency=[[Agence France-Presse]]/[[Associated Press]]|date=1 March 2019|access-date=6 June 2019}}</ref>

Controversy arose in November 2019 over the OPCW's finding on the Douma chemical weapons attack when Wikileaks published emails by an OPCW staff member saying a report on this incident "misrepresents the facts" and contains "unintended bias". The OPCW staff member questioned the report's finding that OPCW's inspectors had "sufficient evidence at this time to determine that chlorine, or another reactive chlorine-containing chemical, was likely released from cylinders".<ref name="opcw2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/syria-watchdog-accused-of-misleading-report|title=Syria watchdog accused of making misleading edits in report on chemical weapons attack|access-date=2019-12-24|publisher=Foxnews.com|year=2019|author=Greg Norman}}</ref> The staff member alleged this finding was "highly misleading and not supported by the facts" and said he would attach his own differing observations if this version of the report was released. On 25 November 2019, OPCW Director General Fernando Arias, in a speech to the OPCW's annual conference in The Hague, defended the Organization's report on the Douma incident, stating "While some of these diverse views continue to circulate in some public discussion forums, I would like to reiterate that I stand by the independent, professional conclusion" of the probe.<ref name="opcw1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opcw-chemical-weapons-watchdog-douma-chlorine-gas-wikileaks-russia-syria-claim-bias-today-2019-11-25/|title=Chemical weapons watchdog OPCW defends Syria report as whistleblower claims bias|access-date=2019-12-24|publisher=cbsnews.com|year=2019|author=CBS/AFP}}</ref>