UN still negotiating with Syria on chemical weapons investigation

U.N. chemical weapons investigators are ready to visit Syria to investigate the use of chemical weapons, but a deal has yet to be reached with the Syrian government after two weeks of talks on safety assurances for the team, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

“Once the government of Syria confirms its acceptance of the modalities, the mission will depart without delay,” the United Nations said in a statement.

It has been nearly two weeks since the United Nations said the Syrian government had agreed to let a team of experts travel to three sites where chemical weapons are reported to have been used. One, Khan al-Assal in Aleppo, is where the Syrian government says rebels used chemical weapons in March.

The other two locations to be visited have not yet been identified. The United Nations said it has received 13 reports of possible chemical weapons use – one from Syria’s government and the rest mainly from Britain, France and the United States.