https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/S_series/2018/en/s-1612-2018_e_.pdf[/URL]
Summary of the Report on Activities Carried Out in Support of a Request for Technical Assistance by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Technical Assistance Visit TAV/02/18)[/SIZE]]
S/1612/2018
12 April 2018
Original: ENGLISH
NOTE BY THE TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT ON ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT IN SUPPORT OF A REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
(TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE VISIT TAV/02/18)
1.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland requested technical
assistance from the OPCW Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) undersubparagraph 38(e) of Article
VIII of the Chemical Weapons Convention in relationto an incident in Salisbury on 4 March 2018 involving atoxic chemical—allegedly a nerve agent—and the poisoning and hospitalisation of three individuals. The
Director-General decided to dispatch ateam to the United Kingdom for a technical assistance visit (TAV).
2.
The TAV team deployed to the United Kingdom on 19 March for a pre-deployment and from 21 March to 23 March for a full deployment.
3.
The team received information on the medical conditions of the affected individuals, Mr Sergej Skripal, Ms Yulia Skripal, and Mr Nicholas Bailey. This included information on their acetylcholinesterase status since hospitalisation, as well as information on the treatment regime.
4.
The team was able to collect blood samples from the three affected individuals under full chain of custody for delivery to the OP CW Laboratory and subsequent analysis by OPCW designated laboratories, and
conducted identification of the three individuals against official photo-ID documents.
5.
The team was able to conduct on-site sampling of environmental samples under full chain of custody at sites identified as possible hot-spots of residual contamination. Samples were returned to the OPCW Laboratory for subsequent analysis by OPCW designated laboratories.
6.
The team requested and received splits of samples taken by British authorities for delivery to the OPCW Laboratory in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, and subsequent analysis by OPCW designated laboratories. This was done for comparative purposes and to verify the analysis of the United Kingdom.
7.
The team was briefed on the identity of the toxic chemical identified by the United Kingdom and was able to review analytical results and data from chemical analysis of biomedical samples collected by the British
authorities from the a ffected individuals, as well as from environmental samples collected on site.
S/1612/2018
page 2
8.
The results of analysis of biomedical samples conducted by OPCW designated laboratories demonstrate the exposure of the three hospitalised individuals to this toxic chemical.
9.
The results of analysis of the environmental samplesconducted by OPCW designated laboratories demonstrate the presence of this toxic chemical in the samples.