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Two Syria chemical weapons sites not yet inspected | |
(35 minutes later) | |
International chemical weapons inspectors say "security reasons" have prevented them from visiting two sites disclosed by the Syrian government. | |
In a statement, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said verification activities had been completed at 21 out of 23 sites. | |
"Efforts to ensure the conditions necessary for safe access to those sites will continue," it added. | |
On Sunday, Syria submitted to the OPCW a plan to destroy its chemical arsenal. | On Sunday, Syria submitted to the OPCW a plan to destroy its chemical arsenal. |
The Hague-based organisation said that it did so three days ahead of the 27 October deadline set by UN Security Council resolution 2118. | |
'Ceasefires needed' | |
Correspondents say the fact that inspectors have not been able to reach two of the 23 sites means that one of the first in a series of tight deadlines for the destruction or removal of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile by mid-2014 has been missed. | |
The OPCW has not said who was responsible for the security concerns, only that negotiations to ensure the conditions necessary for safe access to the two remaining sites will continue. | |
Officials say that ceasefires between government and rebel forces may be needed to reach them. | |
The OPCW's mission was set up following outrage at a chemical weapons attack on 21 August. Hundreds of people were killed when rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were fired at several suburbs of the capital, Damascus. | |
The United States and other Western powers blamed the attack on forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. But Mr Assad accused rebels of being behind it. | |
Sixty inspectors from the OPCW and UN have been in Syria since 1 October. | |
Under resolution 2118, Syria's chemical weapons production equipment must be destroyed by 1 November and stockpiles must be disposed of by mid-2014. | |
The organisation's work in Syria marks the first time the international chemical weapons watchdog - which won this year's Nobel Peace Prize - has been asked to oversee the destruction of a chemical arsenal during an armed conflict. | |
More than 100,000 people have been killed in the fighting that has ravaged Syria for two-and-a-half years, according to the UN. | |
A further two million people have fled Syria and some 4.5 million have been displaced internally. |
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