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Gains Reported in Removing Syrian Chemical Supplies | Gains Reported in Removing Syrian Chemical Supplies |
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Nearly half of Syria’s chemical stockpile for weapons use has now been removed from the war-ravaged country, the organization helping to oversee the elimination of the deadly arsenal reported on Wednesday. | Nearly half of Syria’s chemical stockpile for weapons use has now been removed from the war-ravaged country, the organization helping to oversee the elimination of the deadly arsenal reported on Wednesday. |
The organization said in a statement that two shipments, including some of the most lethal chemicals from the stockpile, were delivered on March 14 and 17 to the Syrian port of Latakia, where they were transferred to cargo ships, making a total of 10 exported shipments so far. | The organization said in a statement that two shipments, including some of the most lethal chemicals from the stockpile, were delivered on March 14 and 17 to the Syrian port of Latakia, where they were transferred to cargo ships, making a total of 10 exported shipments so far. |
“The latest movements increased the portion of chemicals that have now been removed from Syria for destruction outside the country to more than 45 percent,” said the statement, issued by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Hague-based group that is collaborating with the United Nations to ensure the arsenal’s destruction. | “The latest movements increased the portion of chemicals that have now been removed from Syria for destruction outside the country to more than 45 percent,” said the statement, issued by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Hague-based group that is collaborating with the United Nations to ensure the arsenal’s destruction. |
The statement was the first progress report on the Syrian government’s commitment to getting rid of the chemicals since the Syrians proposed a revised timetable for exporting them early this month. The timetable’s revision, which calls for the job to be finished by the end of April instead of Feb. 6 as originally planned, came after Syria missed deadlines in the destruction effort and was widely criticized internationally. | The statement was the first progress report on the Syrian government’s commitment to getting rid of the chemicals since the Syrians proposed a revised timetable for exporting them early this month. The timetable’s revision, which calls for the job to be finished by the end of April instead of Feb. 6 as originally planned, came after Syria missed deadlines in the destruction effort and was widely criticized internationally. |
The statement also appeared to suggest that Russia and the United States were continuing to cooperate in pressuring Syria to comply with its pledges on chemical weapons, despite the crisis in Ukraine, which has deeply chilled relations between Moscow and Washington. | The statement also appeared to suggest that Russia and the United States were continuing to cooperate in pressuring Syria to comply with its pledges on chemical weapons, despite the crisis in Ukraine, which has deeply chilled relations between Moscow and Washington. |
Under a United Nations Security Council resolution that was supported by both Russia and the United States, the entire Syrian chemical arsenal must be destroyed by June 30. | Under a United Nations Security Council resolution that was supported by both Russia and the United States, the entire Syrian chemical arsenal must be destroyed by June 30. |
The Syrian government has argued that it could not expedite the export of the chemicals, a total of 1,200 tons, because of its three-year-old civil war, which has made overland transport difficult and dangerous. The United States and other Western countries accused the Syrians of procrastinating, and top officials at both the United Nations and the chemical-weapons organization urged them to accelerate their efforts. | The Syrian government has argued that it could not expedite the export of the chemicals, a total of 1,200 tons, because of its three-year-old civil war, which has made overland transport difficult and dangerous. The United States and other Western countries accused the Syrians of procrastinating, and top officials at both the United Nations and the chemical-weapons organization urged them to accelerate their efforts. |
Left unclear in the statement released Wednesday was whether a separate dispute regarding Syria’s 12 chemical production facilities — seven aircraft hangars and five tunnels — had been resolved. Syria has proposed sealing the facilities, but leaving them intact. The United States has demanded that Syria destroy them, arguing that they could be reactivated otherwise. | Left unclear in the statement released Wednesday was whether a separate dispute regarding Syria’s 12 chemical production facilities — seven aircraft hangars and five tunnels — had been resolved. Syria has proposed sealing the facilities, but leaving them intact. The United States has demanded that Syria destroy them, arguing that they could be reactivated otherwise. |
With the latest shipments, the statement said, about 29.5 percent of the so-called Priority 1 chemicals, classified as the most dangerous, have been removed from Syria, including all of its sulfur mustard. The statement said that 82.6 percent of Syria’s Priority 2 chemicals, which are not necessarily toxic but are ingredients for lethal gases and nerve agents, had been removed as well. | With the latest shipments, the statement said, about 29.5 percent of the so-called Priority 1 chemicals, classified as the most dangerous, have been removed from Syria, including all of its sulfur mustard. The statement said that 82.6 percent of Syria’s Priority 2 chemicals, which are not necessarily toxic but are ingredients for lethal gases and nerve agents, had been removed as well. |
The Syrian government agreed to renounce its chemical weapons program after facing worldwide outrage over an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in a Damascus suburb, in which each side in the civil war blamed the other. The United States threatened to hit Syrian military installations with missile strikes in response, but dropped the threat when Russia brokered a diplomatic agreement to eliminate the weapons, which led to the Security Council resolution on Sept. 27. |