UN chemical weapon inspectors to go to Syria soonAugust 1, 2013 - 11:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - UN inspectors will go to Syria soon to investigate three sites where chemical weapons attacks have been reported, the United Nations said Wednesday, July 31, according to AFP. "The mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three of the reported incidents," said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky. The announcement followed an accord reached with the Syrian government when two UN envoys went to Damascus last week. The inspectors, who are led by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom, are being assembled in Europe and could go to Syria as soon as next week, diplomats said. The announcement that inspectors will get into Syria is seen as a major breakthrough in one of the most frightening aspects of the 28-month-old war. The United Nations says reports on 13 different chemical attacks have been made. Syria, Britain, France, Russia and the United States have all handed over evidence to Sellstrom's team. But experts say most of the reported attacks are now months old and there is a risk that evidence has been cleared up or has degraded. Khan al-Assal, which is one of three sites on the initial investigation list, is now the scene of major fighting between government and rebel forces. Syria has hundreds of tons of various chemical arms, according to experts, and has never joined international conventions banning their use. The major powers all agree that chemical weapons have been used in the conflict. Russia sides with its government ally in blaming the opposition. Western nations say all the evidence points to Assad's forces using the arms in "limited" quantities. While the initial inquiry will focus on three sites, Nesirky said UN leader Ban Ki-moon "remains mindful of other reported incidents and the mission will also continue to seek clarification from the member states concerned." The spokesman said the first sites on the UN list includes Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo, where the government reported a chemical weapons attack on March 19. It said at least 26 people, including 16 soldiers, were killed. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |