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THE HAGUE. — Head of the world’s chemical weapons watchdog called yesterday for temporary ceasefires in Syria’s raging civil war in order to meet tight disarmament deadlines.“I think if some temporary ceasefires can be established, I think those targets could be reached,” Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons chief Ahmet Uzumcu told journalists in The Hague.
The OPCW has been charged with dismantling Syria’s chemical arsenal and facilities by mid-2014 under the terms of a UN Security Council resolution drawn up after deadly nerve gas attacks in August.
Uzumcu said during a rare public briefing on the state of Syria’s disarmament that the timeline “is extremely tight”. He denied however that the deadlines, including the destruction of all production facilities by November 1, were unrealistic.
“Much depends on the situation on the ground, that’s why we have urged all parties in Syria to be co-operative,” Uzumcu said.
“The elimination is in the interest of all.”
The OPCW said on Tuesday it was sending a second wave of inspectors to bolster the disarmament mission in the war-ravaged nation.
Uzumcu said that another 12 experts were being sent to Damascus. Syria has won rare international praise for its co-operation with the chemical disarmament mission, deployed in Damascus since October 1.
“The co-operation with Syria has been quite constructive. The Syrian authorities are co-operative,” said Uzumcu.
Inspectors have already visited one chemical site in Syria and are visiting another on Wednesday, with some weapons already destroyed. — AFP.
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