 "UN: Syria won't meet deadline to destroy chemicals")
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the UN Security Council that the June 30 deadline for totally eliminating Syria's chemical weapons will not be met.
The UN chief said in a letter obtained yesterday by The Associated Press that 7.2% of Syria's declared chemical stockpile remains in the country.
He said the Syrian government insists that the dangerous chemicals must be moved by road but can't be transported right now because of insecurity in the area.
The international community, shocked by a chemical attack last August that killed hundreds near Damascus, had aimed to remove and destroy 1,300 metric tons of chemicals by June 30.
The UN chief said in a letter obtained yesterday by The Associated Press that 7.2% of Syria's declared chemical stockpile remains in the country.
He said the Syrian government insists that the dangerous chemicals must be moved by road but can't be transported right now because of insecurity in the area.
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"It is imperative that the Syrian Arab Republic concludes remaining removal operations as quickly as possible, as the authorities have pledged to do," Ban said.
The international community, shocked by a chemical attack last August that killed hundreds near Damascus, had aimed to remove and destroy 1,300 metric tons of chemicals by June 30.