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Middle East and North Africa

UN SG sends letter with recommendations on Syrian chemical weapons destruction

It will become an official UN document

Photo EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT

Photo EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT

UNITED NATIONS, October 8 (Itar-Tass) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday sent to the UN Security Council a letter, which contains recommendations on the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria. UN Secretary-General’s deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told Itar-Tass that this document would be published in the near future.

“This letter has been sent,” he said. “It will become an official UN document.” Haq declined to comment on the content of the letter, only noting that it would be published within hours.

According to Itar-Tass sources, the letter proposes, in particular, to establish a joint mission of the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the base of which will be located in Cyprus. Also, about 100 experts for the destruction of chemical weapons would be sent to Syria.

Appointment of special liaison

Ban Ki-moon sees proper to appoint a special liaison to deal with issues related to the destruction of existing chemical weapons in Syria.

Ban Ki- moon has recommended to establish a joint mission of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) based in Damascus and Cyprus to destroy the existing stockpiles of toxic substances in Syria. A special joint mission will be headed by a civilian liaison who will be assigned to UN SG on the basis of extensive consultation with the OPCW Director General at the level of Deputy Secretary-General, the letter says. The Special Liaison will report to Ban Ki-moon and the OPCW Director General, will carry out coordination of the joint mission, as well as interact with the Syrian government, opposition groups and the international community, in accordance with the mandate of the mission, the letter specifies.

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