UN mission on chemical weapons should be sent to Syria

The head of Russia’s Center for Public and Political Research says a UN permanent mission on chemical weapons should be deployed in Syria. “UN observers will ensure external control of arsenals where all chemical weapons of Syria should be piled up,” Vladimir Yevseyev told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. “Removal of chemical weapons from Syria for subsequent destruction or onsite destruction of weapons is impossible for objective reasons.” According to different estimates, some 1,000 tons of chemical weapons were stored in Syria, he said, adding that in the wake of civil war, no country or international alliance would engage in pulling chemical weapons out of Syria. Moreover, delivery vehicles of chemical weapons had reached their life cycle limits. “The best variant is to destroy chemical weapons onsite, but at this moment, it is impossible because of continuing military action there,” Yevseyev said, noting that protection of a UN observer mission was the most difficult aspect. “Syria’s army command should create special units to ensure observers’ security,” he said. On Monday, Russia called on Syria to place chemical weapons under international control for subsequent disposal and Syria’s full accession to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.