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| Germany to help destroy Syria chemical weapons | Germany to help destroy Syria chemical weapons |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Germany is joining international efforts to destroy Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons, the foreign and defence ministries have announced. | Germany is joining international efforts to destroy Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons, the foreign and defence ministries have announced. |
| Waste from the destroyed weapons would be burned at a government facility in the town of Muenster, they said. | |
| Germany said it was responding to a request for help from the UN and OPCW, co-ordinators of the destruction plan. | Germany said it was responding to a request for help from the UN and OPCW, co-ordinators of the destruction plan. |
| The first consignment of toxic chemicals left Syria on a Danish ship early this week. | The first consignment of toxic chemicals left Syria on a Danish ship early this week. |
| It is travelling to Italy, where it will be loaded onto a US Navy ship and shipped to international waters for destruction in a specially created titanium tank on board. | It is travelling to Italy, where it will be loaded onto a US Navy ship and shipped to international waters for destruction in a specially created titanium tank on board. |
| Germany decided, after a request from the UN and the OPCW, it "is prepared to make a substantial contribution to the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons," the foreign and defence ministries said in a joint statement. | Germany decided, after a request from the UN and the OPCW, it "is prepared to make a substantial contribution to the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons," the foreign and defence ministries said in a joint statement. |
| "The government is willing and able to destroy in Germany remnants created in the course of irreversibly neutralising chemical weapons from Syria and which resemble industrial waste." | "The government is willing and able to destroy in Germany remnants created in the course of irreversibly neutralising chemical weapons from Syria and which resemble industrial waste." |
| The statement said the project would be handled by the state-owned company GEKA in Muenster "in full compliance with environmental regulations". | |
| Britain has also offered to help get rid of the waste. | Britain has also offered to help get rid of the waste. |
| Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in a deal brokered by the US and Russia last year. | Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in a deal brokered by the US and Russia last year. |
| It followed international outrage when rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired at three towns in the Ghouta agricultural belt around the Syrian capital, Damascus, on 21 August. | It followed international outrage when rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired at three towns in the Ghouta agricultural belt around the Syrian capital, Damascus, on 21 August. |
| Hundreds of people were killed in the attacks. | Hundreds of people were killed in the attacks. |
| Western powers said only Syrian government forces could have carried out the assault, but President Bashar al-Assad blamed rebel fighters. | Western powers said only Syrian government forces could have carried out the assault, but President Bashar al-Assad blamed rebel fighters. |
| How the plan will unfold | How the plan will unfold |