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(Image source: Instagram / syrianpresidency)
BY ELIZABETH HAGEDORN
The Syrian government has met the first term of the deal to handover its chemical weapons — submitting a list of its chemical agents.
On Friday, Syria released an initial declaration of the stockpile to United Nations investigators. A spokesperson for agency tasked with overseeing their destruction said Friday more information about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s weapons should be expected in the day or so. (Via Sky News)
“This includes the names, types and quantities of of its chemical, agents, the various munitions involved, and crucially, the location of where everything is stored and produced.” (Via BBC)
A senior White House official told The New York Times, the Obama administration was “pleasantly surprised by the completeness of their declaration.”
It’s believed Syria has around 1,000 tons of chemical toxins. Earlier this week, the U.N. confirmed sarin nerve gas had been used in the August 21 attack in Damascus, though it did not say which side was responsible.
Under the recently agreed to disarmament deal, production facilities for Syria’s chemical weapons must be destroyed by November, and the entire stockpile by the middle of next year. (Via CBS)
If Assad doesn’t comply, the U.S. and Russia have agreed there will be consequences, but those terms haven’t yet been agreed to. Negotiators at the U.N. are hashing out the details of a resolution — with Russia — one of Syria’s only allies — still opposed to threats of force. (Via France 24)
This follows new reports that Assad is moving his chemical weapons stockpile — with one U.S. official telling CNN the regime has actively moved its arsenal in the last 24 hours.
As a former CIA deputy explained to Foreign Policy: "I think this is the Syrians playing for time … I do not believe that they would seriously consider giving up their chemical weapons."
Meanwhile, on the ground, Syria’s deputy prime minister has said the two-and-a-half year war has reached a stalemate, and has called for a ceasefire with the rebels.