The United Nations said Sunday its experts would start their probe of an alleged Syrian chemical weapons site Monday.
"The Secretary-General has instructed the mission ... currently in Damascus, to focus its attention on ascertaining the facts of the 21 August incident as its highest priority," the UN said in a statement, adding the mission was "preparing to conduct on-site, fact-finding activities."
"An agreement was concluded today (Sunday) in Damascus between the Syrian government and the United Nations during the visit of the UN high representative for disarmament, Angela Kane, to allow the UN team lead by professor Aake Sellstroem to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use in Damascus province," a ministry statement said. The agreement "is effective immediately," it added.
The United Nations and the Syrian government "are to agree on the date and time of the team's visit to the sites on which there has been an agreement," the ministry said. It said the deal was struck in a meeting between Kane, whose organisation has had a 20-member team of inspectors on the ground in Syria since August 18, and Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.
"Syria is ready to cooperate with the inspection team to prove that the allegations by terrorist groups (rebels) of the use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops in the Eastern Ghouta region are lies," Muallem was quoted as telling Kane.
Opposition leaders said Friday that UN inspectors would have "unfettered" access to areas under rebel control such as Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus to investigate the use of chemical weapons.
Doctors Without Borders has said 355 people died last week of "neurotoxic" symptoms, after the opposition claimed regime forces unleashed chemicals east and southwest of Damascus last Wednesday causing more than 1,300 deaths.
The regime has denied the charges and in turn accused the rebels of using chemical arms.
The UN team arrived in the Syrian capital last week to begin a hard-won mission which UN officials originally said would last two weeks and cover three sites.
The mission had been repeatedly delayed amid differences with President Bashar al-Assad's regime over the scope of the probe into the alleged use of chemical arms in the 29-month civil war.
But the Syrian government insists it has nothing to hide.
Under its original mandate, the team was expected to investigate Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo, where the government says rebels used chemical weapons on March 19, killing at least 26 people, including 16 Syrian soldiers.
The opposition says government forces carried out the attack.
Damascus had called for a UN probe in March but insisted it focus solely on Khan al-Assal. Ban, however, pressed for broader access and investigation of other sites as well.
hurriyetdailynews.com
25/8/13
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- Russia on Aug. 25 welcomed Damascus' offer to allow a mission by U.N. inspectors probing reported chemical weapons use and warned the West that an Iraq scenario in Syria would be a "tragic mistake."
"We strongly urge those who, by attempting to impose their own results on the U.N. experts, are raising the possibility of a military operation in Syria to use their common sense and refrain from committing a tragic mistake," foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement.
"All this is reminiscent of events from a decade ago, when the United States bypassed the U.N. and used fallacious information on the presence in Iraq of weapons of mass destruction to launch an adventure, the consequences of which are known to all," he said.
The United States and Britain in 2003 led a military invasion of Iraq that toppled long-time dictator Saddam Hussein.
A U.N. mission had failed to find any of the weapons of mass destructions Saddam was suspected of possessing but the Iraqi strongman was known to have repeatedly used chemical weapons.
The United Nations said Aug. 25 its inspectors in Syria could begin work as early as Monday Aug. 25, after Damascus agreed to the probe Sunday during a visit by top UN official Angela Kane.
Russia took credit for the deal, saying it was the result of "relentless efforts" by Moscow with the Syrian regime.
"We are satisfied with the Syrian leadership's constructive approach towards ensuring an effective cooperation with the U.N. mission," the spokesman said.
Washington, which has said that evidence President Bashar al-Assad's regime used chemical weapons would cross a red line and warrant tougher action, said the Syrian offer was "too late to be credible".
Russia - which together with Iran and China has supported Assad throughout the 29-month-old Syrian crisis - urged the rebel camp to guarantee the safety of the UN team lead by professor Aake Sellstroem.
"It is important that the armed opposition controlling part of Eastern Ghouta ensure that the UN mission is able to operate safely and refrain from the kind of armed provocation witnessed against UN observers last summer," Lukashevich said.
Opposition leaders already said Aug. 24 that U.N. inspectors would have "unfettered" access to areas under rebel control such as Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus to investigate the use of chemical weapons.....
hurriyetdailynews.com
25/8/13
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Related:
Iran Warns of Military Intervenstion in Syria ...
US Chemical Weapons Report in Syria ‘Fabricated’ – Russian MP
At least 93,000 Syrians killed in conflict .... Children Used as Human Shields
Outrage over Syrian rebels assaulting catholic monastery, killing hermit
Заявление официального представителя МИД России А.К.Лукашевича в связи с высказываниями Министра обороны США
В Москве обратили серьезное
внимание на заявление министра обороны США Ч.Хейгла о проведенных по
поручению Президента Б.Обамы мероприятиях по обеспечению готовности
американских вооруженных сил в любой момент осуществить силовую акцию в
отношении Сирии.
Настораживают и звучащие из
Парижа, Лондона и ряда других столиц требования решительной реакции на
якобы имевшее место применение вооруженными силами Сирии химического
оружия в Восточной Гуте 21 августа с.г. при полном игнорировании
множества фактов, указывающих на то, что эта акция явилась провокацией
непримиримой оппозиции.
Все это заставляет
вспомнить события десятилетней давности, когда, используя в качестве
предлога ложную информацию о наличии у иракцев ОМУ, США в обход ООН
пошли на авантюру, последствия которой всем хорошо известны.
Нынешняя суетливость вокруг
произошедшего 21 августа явно нацелена на вмешательство в успешно
начавшуюся в Сирии работу независимых экспертов ООН по химоружию и
выглядит особенно странно, если вспомнить, как долго Париж и Лондон
блокировали направление в Сирию миссии по расследованию инцидента с
применением отравляющих веществ 19 марта с.г. в Хан Аль-Асале близ
Алеппо. Нельзя допустить, чтобы правду о том инциденте замотали. 24
августа с.г. в Нью-Йорке нами передано в
Секретариат ООН полное досье, в
котором задокументированы факты использования оппозицией химических
отравляющих веществ в Хан Аль-Асале.
Еще раз решительно
призываем не повторять ошибок прошлого, не допускать действий, идущих
вразрез с международным правом. Любые односторонние силовые действия в
обход ООН подорвут усилия международного сообщества по поиску
политико-дипломатического решения сирийского конфликта, приведут к его
дальнейшей эскалации и самым разрушительным образом повлияют на и без
того взрывоопасную ситуацию на Ближнем Востоке, где уже видны тяжелые
последствия односторонней интервенции в Ливии в грубое нарушение
резолюций СБ ООН.
- Будут подорваны и перспективы созыва «Женевы-2», подготовку которой мы с американскими партнерами договаривались ускорить.
- Все спонсоры оппозиции, имеющие на нее влияние, должны добиваться скорейшего согласия всех оппонентов Б.Асада на переговоры. Заявления же с угрозой применить силу против сирийского режима посылают оппозиционерам прямо противоположный сигнал, и нашим американским и европейским партнерам должно быть понятно, какие катастрофические последствия для региона, для арабского и в целом исламского мира несет такая политика.
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ReplyDeleteUS says Syria offer to show chemical attack sites 'too late'
A US military response to alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria appeared more likely on Sunday after Washington dismissed the Syrian government's offer to allow UN inspection of the sites as "too late to be credible."
A senior official of the US administration said there was little doubt the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against civilians in suburbs of Damascus last week and that President Barack Obama was weighing how to respond.
A year ago, Obama said the use of chemical weapons in Syria's war would be a "red line" for the United States. However, Obama has been reluctant to intervene in Syria and US officials stressed that he has yet to make a decision on how to respond.
US lawmakers from both political parties urged a limited American military response, such as cruise missile strikes, but a senior Democrat, Senator Jack Reed, cautioned that any move by Washington should not be unilateral.
Senator Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he had discussed the issue with the administration in the past week and believed Obama would ask Congress for authorization for intervention once Congress returns from its recess on September9.
"I think we will respond in a surgical way and I hope the president as soon as we get back to Washington will ask for authorization from Congress to do something in a very surgical and proportional way," he told Fox News Sunday.
Americans strongly oppose US intervention in Syria's civil war and believe Washington should stay out of the conflict even if the reports are true that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons, a Reuters/Ipsos poll says.
About 60 percent of those surveyed in the poll said the United States should not intervene, meaning Obama would have to make a convincing case to the American public for any action that he would decide to take.....http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_08_25/US-says-Syria-offer-to-show-chemical-attack-sites-too-late-2674/
25/8/13
Britain says Syria chemical attack evidence may already be destroyed...
ReplyDeleteBritain said on Sunday that evidence of a chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus could have already been destroyed ahead of UN inspectors visiting the site.
"We have to be realistic now about what the UN team can achieve," Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters.
"The fact is that much of the evidence could have been destroyed by that artillery bombardment. Other evidence could have degraded over the last few days and other evidence could have been tampered with," he said.
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_08_25/Britain-says-Syria-chemical-attack-evidence-may-already-be-destroyed-5448/
25/8/13
Βρετανία: Τα στοιχεία μιας χημικής επίθεσης ενδεχομένως να έχουν ήδη καταστραφεί...
ReplyDeleteΟ υπουργός Εξωτερικών της Βρετανίας, William Hague προειδοποίησε σήμερα ότι τα στοιχεία μιας πιθανής χημικής επίθεσης από το συριακό καθεστώς μπορεί να έχουν ήδη καταστραφεί.
"Το γεγονός είναι ότι τα περισσότερα στοιχεία μπορεί να έχουν ήδη καταστραφεί από τους βομβαρδισμούς του πυροβολικού", δήλωσε ο William Hague
25/8/13
UNO untersucht Giftgasangriff in Syrien Für Obama kommt Assads Angebot zu spät...
ReplyDeleteBarack Obama verliert die Geduld. Zwar lässt Syrien Giftgas-Kontrollen durch die UNO zu, für den US-Präsidenten kommt das Angebot aber zu spät. Deutsche Politiker warnen vor einem Militärschlag.....http://www.n24.de/n24/Nachrichten/Politik/d/3409400/fuer-obama-kommt-assads-angebot-zu-spaet.html
26/8/13
Russia Calls for Safe Work of UN Weapons Inspectors in Syria...
ReplyDeleteMOSCOW, August 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is urging everyone who can influence Syria’s armed opposition groups to pressure them to make the work of UN chemical weapons inspectors in the country safe, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.
Opposition groups should avoid organizing armed provocations, ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement on Sunday.
The United Nations reported Sunday that following talks with UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane, “the Syrian Government has affirmed it will grant access to UN inspectors, beginning tomorrow, to sites in the suburbs of Damascus where chemical weapons were allegedly used last week.”
According to a statement issued Sunday morning by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesman, Kane met in Damascus with high-ranking Syrian officials on August 24 and 25 to seek the government's cooperation in a probe into the August 21 incident in the Ghouta area where chemical weapons were allegedly used.....http://en.rian.ru/world/20130826/182966180/Russia-Calls-for-Safe-Work-of-UN-Weapons-Inspectors-in-Syria.html
26/8/13
UN: Chemical experts can gather evidence in Syria despite time lapse...
DeleteUNITED NATIONS - The United Nations said on Monday it was still possible for a UN team of chemical weapons experts to gather evidence necessary to investigate last week's alleged gas attack in suburbs east of Damascus, despite the lapse of time.
"Despite the passage of a number of days, the Secretary-General (Ban Ki-moon) is confident that the team will be able to obtain and analyze evidence relevant for its investigation of the 21 August incident," UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters. The UN team visited the site on Monday.
Britain said on Sunday that evidence of the attack, which is believed to have killed hundreds of people, could have already been destroyed ahead of a visit to the site by UN inspectors.
26/8/13
Syrian president dismisses chemical weapons charges...
ReplyDeleteWestern accusations that Syrian government forces used chemical weapons are "an insult to common sense," President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia published Monday.
"Such accusations are political, and the reason for this was the series of victories by government forces over the terrorists," he said in the interview, posted on the newspaper's website.
http://english.cntv.cn/20130826/102997.shtml
26/8/13
‘US never wanted to be engaged in Syria, tacitly accepts Assad's win'....
ReplyDeleteFollowing recent reports of an alleged chemical attack killing civilians in a Damascus suburb, US President Barack Obama said this is an “event of grave concern” but stressed on Friday that he would not rush to embroil Americans in a costly new war.
And that is what this week's guest for Monday Talk has emphasized as well, despite Obama's warnings to Syria's government last year that any attempt to deploy or use chemical or biological weapons would cross a "red line."
“The US already said that it doesn't want to get involved, no matter how many people died,” said Vali R. Nasr, a leading expert on the Middle East and dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C.
“Now, there is a tacit acceptance that [Syrian President Bashar al-]Assad is going to win -- maybe that's not a bad thing either. That is because there are two wars in Syria. There is a war between Assad and the opposition,” he said. “There is a second war, which is between al-Qaeda and the other military groups -- it is the war the US cares about because President Obama cares about al-Qaeda greatly. Ironically, not intervening in the first war has helped to strengthen al-Qaeda.”......http://www.todayszaman.com//news-324483-us-never-wanted-to-be-engaged-in-syria-tacitly-accepts-assads-win.html
25/8/13