UN to probe 'chemical weapons' attack
Source: Agencies |
March 22, 2013, Friday
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the United Nations will launch an investigation, as requested by the Syrian government, into allegations that chemical weapons were used in Syria.
"I have decided to conduct a United Nations investigation into the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria," Ban told reporters yesterday. He said the investigation will focus on "the specific incident brought to my attention by the Syrian government."
Syria asked Ban on Wednesday to investigate an alleged chemical weapons attack by terrorist groups near the northern city of Aleppo on Tuesday, Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said.
Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and rebels have accused each other of firing a missile laden with chemicals that killed 26 people.
The Syrian opposition said yesterday that there was a second chemical weapons attack on Tuesday in Damascus.
British and French UN envoys said after a closed-door meeting of the Security Council yesterday that they wanted the UN to investigate both alleged attacks. Russia said the request was an attempt to delay a UN investigation, an accusation the Europeans rejected.
Ban made it clear that the focus of the investigation would be the Aleppo attack.
"I am of course aware that there are other allegations of similar cases involving the reported use of chemical weapons," he said, adding that the UN would be cooperating with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the World Health Organization.
"Full cooperation from all parties will be essential. I stress that this includes unfettered access," he said.
Ban said his announcement "should serve as an unequivocal reminder that the use of chemical weapons is a crime against humanity."
US and European officials say there is no evidence to suggest there was a chemical weapons attack. If confirmed, it would be the first use of such weapons in the two-year conflict, which the UN says has killed 70,000 people.
"I have decided to conduct a United Nations investigation into the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria," Ban told reporters yesterday. He said the investigation will focus on "the specific incident brought to my attention by the Syrian government."
Syria asked Ban on Wednesday to investigate an alleged chemical weapons attack by terrorist groups near the northern city of Aleppo on Tuesday, Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said.
Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and rebels have accused each other of firing a missile laden with chemicals that killed 26 people.
The Syrian opposition said yesterday that there was a second chemical weapons attack on Tuesday in Damascus.
British and French UN envoys said after a closed-door meeting of the Security Council yesterday that they wanted the UN to investigate both alleged attacks. Russia said the request was an attempt to delay a UN investigation, an accusation the Europeans rejected.
Ban made it clear that the focus of the investigation would be the Aleppo attack.
"I am of course aware that there are other allegations of similar cases involving the reported use of chemical weapons," he said, adding that the UN would be cooperating with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the World Health Organization.
"Full cooperation from all parties will be essential. I stress that this includes unfettered access," he said.
Ban said his announcement "should serve as an unequivocal reminder that the use of chemical weapons is a crime against humanity."
US and European officials say there is no evidence to suggest there was a chemical weapons attack. If confirmed, it would be the first use of such weapons in the two-year conflict, which the UN says has killed 70,000 people.
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