Eurasia Press & News
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said the operation to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons programme is “now behind schedule” despite Damascus’ ability to speed up the process.
Ban told the Security Council in a report that “while remaining aware of the challenging security situation, it is the assessment” of the Joint Mission that Syria “has sufficient material and equipment to carry out multiple ground movements to ensure the expeditious removal of chemical weapons material.”
Nevertheless, “the delay is not insurmountable,” he said, adding that the June 30 deadline to rid Syria of its chemical weapons is “still months away.” “It is imperative that (Syria) now examine the situation, intensify its efforts to expedite in-country movements of chemical weapons material and continue to meet its obligations under relevant Council and OPCW obligations,” he urged.
