International chemical watchdog looking for companies to destroy Syrian weapons

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Friday is to open a tender to invited commercial firms to dispose of 800 metric tons of Syrian chemicals used to produce chemical weapons. OPCW Executive Council on 15 November requested the Director-General of the Organisation to explore "options for destruction in commercial chemical disposal facilities" of a range of chemicals declared by Syria, the OPCW has invited commercial chemical disposal firms to convey to it their expressions of interest (EOI), it said in a press release tonight. The EOI document lists 18 chemicals, mostly bulk commodity chemicals including some that are used and traded worldwide. The companies will be selected through a tendering process in accordance with established procedures. The estimated costs relating to the destruction activites to be undertaken by commercial companies is estimated at 35 to 40 million Euros. A specific Trust Fund was established on 19 November and the OPCW Director-General has called on all States Parties in a position to do so to provide voluntary contributions in support of the mandate of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission in Syria, it added. (