Meeting between Jean-Noël Barrot and Sabrina Dallafior, Director-General of the…

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot hosted Sabrina Dallafior, Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

He reaffirmed France's full political, financial and technical support for the OPCW and the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention at a time of evolving threats.

The Minister reiterated France's commitment to ongoing OPCW-led efforts in Syria to swiftly ascertain the full extent of the chemical weapons program developed by the Assad regime and to ensure the secure, verifiable destruction of any remaining parts of this program.

He also applauded Syria's request to join the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons, chaired by France, and stressed our commitment to the need to continue fact-finding missions and identify those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

France reaffirmed its support for Ukraine and for efforts to strengthen Ukraine's ability to detect, protect against and respond to the chemical weapons threats it is facing on the front lines. The Minister emphasized the need for Russia to be held accountable for its violations of the Convention, of which the epibatidine poisoning of Alexei Navalny is a flagrant example.

France will continue to support the OPCW's efforts to preserve international norms prohibiting the use of chemical weapons, to combat impunity and to prevent any resurgence of such weapons.