Russia ready to guard facilities, where Syrian chemical weapons to be destroyed

Russia is prepared to participate in the guarding of the facilities, where Syrian chemical weapons will be destroyed, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said at the expert dialogue meeting within the exhibition Russian Arms Expo-2013 here on Thursday. “When the process of destroying the chemical weapons will pass in the practical phase, it will be needed to ensure security of the facilities, at which the chemical weapons will be destroyed. Russia is prepared to participate in the guarding of these facilities,” Ryabkov said. He added that Russia hopes for the support of the member-countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in this issue and does not rule out their participation in the guarding of these facilities. The Russian deputy foreign minister noted that the NATO position is unclear on this issue yet.