UN chief to review Syria chemical arms accord
Afp, United Nations
UN leader Ban Ki-moon will review an accord struck with Syria on investigating the use of chemical weapons before any details are announced, a spokeswoman said Saturday.
Ban will meet in New York Monday with one of the two envoys who struck the accord, United Nations spokeswoman Morana Song told AFP.
The UN and the Syrian government said in a joint statement late Friday that agreement had been reached “on the way forward” in the probe, following a visit to Damascus by Ake Sellstrom, head of the UN inspectors, and Angela Kane, the UN disarmament envoy.
The statement did not say whether UN inspectors would be allowed into Syria as Ban has demanded.
Ban was to meet yesterday in New York with the two envoys who struck the accord, spokeswoman Morana Song told AFP.
The UN says it has been given reports of 13 chemical weapons attacks during the 28-month-old conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives.
The United States and other countries say they believe sarin and other banned chemicals have been use in “limited” quantities.
Britain, France and the United States say all the attacks were carried out by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. But Russia, Assad’s main ally, says its inquiry found opposition rebels used sarin gas in Khan al-Assal.
On the ground, at least 29 people, mostly children, died in a regime missile strike on the Syrian city of Aleppo, a watchdog said Saturday, as Hezbollah-backed regime forces advanced in flashpoint Homs.
A militant group said the toll could rise as rescue operations were still underway on Saturday.
Ban will meet in New York Monday with one of the two envoys who struck the accord, United Nations spokeswoman Morana Song told AFP.
The UN and the Syrian government said in a joint statement late Friday that agreement had been reached “on the way forward” in the probe, following a visit to Damascus by Ake Sellstrom, head of the UN inspectors, and Angela Kane, the UN disarmament envoy.
The statement did not say whether UN inspectors would be allowed into Syria as Ban has demanded.
Ban was to meet yesterday in New York with the two envoys who struck the accord, spokeswoman Morana Song told AFP.
The UN says it has been given reports of 13 chemical weapons attacks during the 28-month-old conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives.
The United States and other countries say they believe sarin and other banned chemicals have been use in “limited” quantities.
Britain, France and the United States say all the attacks were carried out by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. But Russia, Assad’s main ally, says its inquiry found opposition rebels used sarin gas in Khan al-Assal.
On the ground, at least 29 people, mostly children, died in a regime missile strike on the Syrian city of Aleppo, a watchdog said Saturday, as Hezbollah-backed regime forces advanced in flashpoint Homs.
A militant group said the toll could rise as rescue operations were still underway on Saturday.
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