Syria's chemical weapons removal to be delayed: OPCW
Iran Press TV
Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:41PM GMT
The removal of Syria's chemical toxins under a UN resolution aimed at eliminating the countries chemical arsenal will likely miss a December 31 deadline, the world's chemical watchdog says.
Franz Krawinkler, who heads logistic operations at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said 'a delay will probably occur,' as bad weather and battlefronts in Syria's conflict have caused delay to the delivery of essential supplies need for toxins removal.
'Because of various external influences, including the weather... certain logistical supplies that are needed for this transport, could not be delivered in time,' he said.
Russian diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov was also quoted as saying on Friday that the "removal has not yet begun," because toxins used for weapons still faced a potentially hazardous trip to the port of Latakia in northern Syria.
Last month, the international chemical weapons watchdog, which is overseeing the efforts in cooperation with the United Nations, confirmed the destruction of 63 percent of Syria's unfilled chemicals.
The joint UN-OPCW team is working to remove the munitions from Syria by the end of the year based on a UN resolution approved on September 27.
The 60-member team also aims to eliminate the weapons at sea and destroy the entire Syrian chemical weapons program by mid-2014.
The removal is a part of a deal struck by Russia and the United States in September, under which the US backed off from a military strike on Syria in return for the Arab country eliminating its chemical weapons.
PG/HGH
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