UN experts begin destroying Syria's chemical weapons stockpile
On October 6, a team of disarmament experts from the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) began the process of destroying Syria's chemical weapons and production facilities.
A source in the international mission to destroy Syria's chemical weapons stockpile said members of the team had reached a weapons facility and begun inspection and destruction operations.
The mission of this group of experts is considered very heavy because it is estimated that Syria currently has more than 1,000 tons of chemical weapons stored in 45 locations scattered across the country. Moreover, this is the first time in the history of the OPCW that experts from this organization have had to carry out a mission in a country in a state of prolonged civil war.
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| UN chemical weapons experts in Damascus on October 3. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
According to the UN resolution on Syria, the destruction of the country's chemical weapons stockpiles must be completed by mid-2014.
In a related development, in an interview with Syria's Tishreen newspaper on October 6, President Bashar al-Assad declared that he was ready for the Geneva 2 conference on peace in Syria, but affirmed that he would not negotiate with "terrorists."
President Assad stressed that the Syrian government does not set any conditions, except that it does not accept negotiations with terrorist elements of the opposition.
Previously, in an interview with the German daily "Mirror", President Assad also affirmed that he would not negotiate with the rebels until they laid down their weapons.
Mr. Assad stated: "The political opposition must not possess weapons. If someone lays down their weapons and wants to return to normal life, then we can negotiate"./.
According to (TTXVN) - DT
