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<p>Ministers receive regular and frequent advice on Syria, including the use of chemical
weapons by the Asad regime. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) published on 1 March 2019 the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) report into the chemical
weapons attacks in Douma. The FFM conducted a full briefing of States Parties on 5
March. The Director General of the OPCW offered all States Parties the opportunity
to submit further questions in writing; and to have technical discussions with the
FFM. At the Executive Council on 14 March, the Russian delegation proposed without
prior notice a vote on an FFM briefing to State Parties. The UK voted against holding
a vote on this issue, as did a clear majority of Executive Council members. The Director
General OPCW has confirmed that all evidence and views were taken into consideration
in preparing the FFM report; and that the Technical Secretariat stands by the findings.
These are: that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a toxic chemical, likely
molecular chlorine, was used as a weapon in Douma on 7 April 2018. This is a clear
breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The UK has confidence in the FFM's investigation
and the conclusions of its report.</p>
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