Jedburgh
10-26-2005, 01:25 AM
Jane's Defence Weekly (http://jdw.janes.com/)
October 26, 2005
By Robin Hughes, JDW Middle East Editor, London
With the release of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission interim report on 20 October into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri increasing international pressure on Syria, a diplomatic source said that Damascus is nevertheless pursuing what they describe as "an innovative chemical warfare [CW] programme in co-operation with Iran".
The essence of this co-operation, the source told JDW "is Tehran's contractual commitment, made to Syria a few months ago, to provide Iranian CW technical assistance to facilitate Syria's CW programme".
Utilising this assistance, they said, Syria hopes to reach an independent production capability of precursors for producing CW agents, which it has so far been unable to achieve.
According to the source, Iran will assist Syria in the planning, establishment and pilot operation of about four or five facilities throughout Syria for the production of precursors for VX and Sarin nerve agents and mustard blister agent.
"This project is unprecedented and millions of US dollars have been allocated to implement it," the source said.
"The project includes building major facilities, including advanced equipment to produce tens to hundreds of tonnes of CW precursors per year that are sufficient for CW industrial manufacturing pilot production."
Syria's CW programme began in the mid-1970s and has since been run by the Scientific Studies and Research Centre (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Scientifiques - CERS). CERS is known to have succeeded in the industrial production of Sarin and VX nerve agents and mustard blister agent at facilities in Dumayr, Khan Abou, Shamat and Furklus.
However, so far it has failed to achieve independent production of precursors.
Therefore, the essential advantage that Syria achieves with this project is independent production of these precursors and the end of its dependency on the import of precursors from various countries.
Senior chemical engineers and scientists from Iran's Defence Industries Organisation (DIO) have now arrived in Syria to assess requirements and provide relevant support.
"This includes the provision of chemical installation construction design, infrastructure information involving diagrams and a survey to determine the location of the various chemical facilities throughout Syria," the source said.
The Iranian delegation will visit two geographical regions (Nabek and Seydnaya) about 30 km north of Damascus.
Under the terms of contract, yet to be officially signed, Iran will also supply Syria with reactors, pipes, condensers, heat exchangers (to change the temperature of materials) and storage and feed tanks, as well as NDCAM equipment (to detect CW agents in the air), all of which are necessary to construct the planned facilities.
Construction of the facilities will begin at the end of the planning stage, which is scheduled later in 2005.
The construction process is scheduled to be completed in about year, after which pilot precursor production will begin.
Iran also will instruct and train the Syrians to operate the facilities independently, the source said.
Until the official signature, and before Syria begins indigenous production of these precursors, it is almost entirely dependent on Iran for its supply of CW precursors.
Over the past year there have been a series of deals between the Iranian chemical manufacturer (known to JDW), which is connected to the DIO and CERS, and a Syrian company (also known to JDW), with connections to the Syrian defence industry.
Under these deals, in 2004, "Syria imported hundreds of tonnes of sodium sulfide, hydrochloric acid and ethylene glycol-MEG from Iran, which are precursors for the production of mustard blister agents and Sarin nerve gas," the source said
These precursors are for the production of CW agents to weaponise chemical warheads. According to the source, Syria has stockpiled "enough components to weaponise no more than a few dozen 'Scud-B/C' warheads and/or aerial bombs".
According to the source: "Syria has invested much effort in disguising these procurement deals with Iran as ostensibly innocuous civilian procurement, given its efforts to sign the Association Agreement with the EU and the demand that it abide by international agreements, including its commitment to prevent weapons of mass destruction proliferation."
Syria is not a signatory to the 1993 Chemical Warfare Convention (CWC).
Accordingly, the source said, the Iranian chemical manufacturer sold sodium sulfide (a precursor for mustard blister agent) to Syria as material to enhance hides and for textiles and cosmetics.
In the case of the procurement of hydrochloric acid, the precursor for Sarin nerve gas, the material is also dual use. It was masked by the company as special procurement for producing carbonated beverages, ink and paint.
"Iran [which is a CWC signatory] is exploiting the fact that these materials do not appear on the list of materials that must be reported. It can thus sell them to Syria as 'legitimate,'" the source said.
However, they noted, "these attempts at concealment fail to hide the fact that this procurement of tremendous quantities of sodium sulfide and ethylene glycol-MEG could not be allocated for civilian purposes.
It is also completely clear that the Syrian CERS institute does not engage in procurement for civilian purposes and that the combination of ethylene glycol-MEG and sodium sulfide is obviously for the production of mustard blister agent, namely CW build-up in violation of CWC rules."
The procurement deals for precursors were preceded by intensive exchanges of delegations between Syria and Iran in 2004.
In February 2004 a Syrian delegation visited Iran during which a memorandum of understanding was signed on the issue between Iran's biological chemical division and CERS, the source said.
Syria later requested further quotes for additional chemical equipment, following which an Iranian delegation arrived in Syria to negotiate the final implementation of the agreement.
Two months later, in April 2004, the Syrian military procurement directorate approached the DIO to receive quotes for chemical equipment.
A quotation for hydrochloric acid was later sent from the Iranian chemical manufacturer to CERS's procurement department. In September 2004 a Syrian delegation visited Iran to conclude a deal between the Syrian company and the Iranian chemical manufacturer for the procurement of sodium sulfide.
October 26, 2005
By Robin Hughes, JDW Middle East Editor, London
With the release of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission interim report on 20 October into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri increasing international pressure on Syria, a diplomatic source said that Damascus is nevertheless pursuing what they describe as "an innovative chemical warfare [CW] programme in co-operation with Iran".
The essence of this co-operation, the source told JDW "is Tehran's contractual commitment, made to Syria a few months ago, to provide Iranian CW technical assistance to facilitate Syria's CW programme".
Utilising this assistance, they said, Syria hopes to reach an independent production capability of precursors for producing CW agents, which it has so far been unable to achieve.
According to the source, Iran will assist Syria in the planning, establishment and pilot operation of about four or five facilities throughout Syria for the production of precursors for VX and Sarin nerve agents and mustard blister agent.
"This project is unprecedented and millions of US dollars have been allocated to implement it," the source said.
"The project includes building major facilities, including advanced equipment to produce tens to hundreds of tonnes of CW precursors per year that are sufficient for CW industrial manufacturing pilot production."
Syria's CW programme began in the mid-1970s and has since been run by the Scientific Studies and Research Centre (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Scientifiques - CERS). CERS is known to have succeeded in the industrial production of Sarin and VX nerve agents and mustard blister agent at facilities in Dumayr, Khan Abou, Shamat and Furklus.
However, so far it has failed to achieve independent production of precursors.
Therefore, the essential advantage that Syria achieves with this project is independent production of these precursors and the end of its dependency on the import of precursors from various countries.
Senior chemical engineers and scientists from Iran's Defence Industries Organisation (DIO) have now arrived in Syria to assess requirements and provide relevant support.
"This includes the provision of chemical installation construction design, infrastructure information involving diagrams and a survey to determine the location of the various chemical facilities throughout Syria," the source said.
The Iranian delegation will visit two geographical regions (Nabek and Seydnaya) about 30 km north of Damascus.
Under the terms of contract, yet to be officially signed, Iran will also supply Syria with reactors, pipes, condensers, heat exchangers (to change the temperature of materials) and storage and feed tanks, as well as NDCAM equipment (to detect CW agents in the air), all of which are necessary to construct the planned facilities.
Construction of the facilities will begin at the end of the planning stage, which is scheduled later in 2005.
The construction process is scheduled to be completed in about year, after which pilot precursor production will begin.
Iran also will instruct and train the Syrians to operate the facilities independently, the source said.
Until the official signature, and before Syria begins indigenous production of these precursors, it is almost entirely dependent on Iran for its supply of CW precursors.
Over the past year there have been a series of deals between the Iranian chemical manufacturer (known to JDW), which is connected to the DIO and CERS, and a Syrian company (also known to JDW), with connections to the Syrian defence industry.
Under these deals, in 2004, "Syria imported hundreds of tonnes of sodium sulfide, hydrochloric acid and ethylene glycol-MEG from Iran, which are precursors for the production of mustard blister agents and Sarin nerve gas," the source said
These precursors are for the production of CW agents to weaponise chemical warheads. According to the source, Syria has stockpiled "enough components to weaponise no more than a few dozen 'Scud-B/C' warheads and/or aerial bombs".
According to the source: "Syria has invested much effort in disguising these procurement deals with Iran as ostensibly innocuous civilian procurement, given its efforts to sign the Association Agreement with the EU and the demand that it abide by international agreements, including its commitment to prevent weapons of mass destruction proliferation."
Syria is not a signatory to the 1993 Chemical Warfare Convention (CWC).
Accordingly, the source said, the Iranian chemical manufacturer sold sodium sulfide (a precursor for mustard blister agent) to Syria as material to enhance hides and for textiles and cosmetics.
In the case of the procurement of hydrochloric acid, the precursor for Sarin nerve gas, the material is also dual use. It was masked by the company as special procurement for producing carbonated beverages, ink and paint.
"Iran [which is a CWC signatory] is exploiting the fact that these materials do not appear on the list of materials that must be reported. It can thus sell them to Syria as 'legitimate,'" the source said.
However, they noted, "these attempts at concealment fail to hide the fact that this procurement of tremendous quantities of sodium sulfide and ethylene glycol-MEG could not be allocated for civilian purposes.
It is also completely clear that the Syrian CERS institute does not engage in procurement for civilian purposes and that the combination of ethylene glycol-MEG and sodium sulfide is obviously for the production of mustard blister agent, namely CW build-up in violation of CWC rules."
The procurement deals for precursors were preceded by intensive exchanges of delegations between Syria and Iran in 2004.
In February 2004 a Syrian delegation visited Iran during which a memorandum of understanding was signed on the issue between Iran's biological chemical division and CERS, the source said.
Syria later requested further quotes for additional chemical equipment, following which an Iranian delegation arrived in Syria to negotiate the final implementation of the agreement.
Two months later, in April 2004, the Syrian military procurement directorate approached the DIO to receive quotes for chemical equipment.
A quotation for hydrochloric acid was later sent from the Iranian chemical manufacturer to CERS's procurement department. In September 2004 a Syrian delegation visited Iran to conclude a deal between the Syrian company and the Iranian chemical manufacturer for the procurement of sodium sulfide.