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Chemical weapons watchdog to stay in Syria for inspections — UN SecGen

By September 30, a total of 1,300 tons of chemical agents had been removed from Syria and subsequently destroyed at sea
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon EPA/MARTIAL TREZZINI
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
© EPA/MARTIAL TREZZINI

The mission was formally approved by the UN Security Council in October 2013. The most critical material for destruction started being removed in early January, under the deal brokered by Russia and the United States.

In line with the agreement, Syria renounced its chemical weapons material and joined 1992 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons.

By September 30, a total of 1,300 tons of chemical agents had been removed from Syria and subsequently destroyed at sea. There are still 12 former chemical weapons production facilities that need to be destroyed.

OPCW Director General Ahmet Uzumcu said that the works in preparation to destroy these facilities are expected to start later this month, and the first facility is to be eliminated on November 30.