Diplomats say the head of the mission charged with destroying Syria's chemical weapons is telling the UN Security Council that Syria can still meet the April 27 deadline to remove all chemical agents from the country, but it is becoming increasingly challenging.
Sigrid Kaag briefed the council by videoconference today. The diplomats said she reiterated the need for an immediate resumption of shipments leaving the country. They spoke on condition of anonymity because Kaag's briefing was private.
UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Syrian authorities informed Kaag's mission that it was temporarily postponing scheduled movements of chemical materials because of deteriorating security. He said the last movement was on March 20.
Haq reiterated that 53.6 per cent of chemicals have either been removed or destroyed inside the war-torn country.
