Chemical weapons watchdog discusses Syria mission

The international chemical weapons watchdog is meeting to discuss slow progress in its mission to destroy Syria's poison gas and nerve agent program, AP reported. In a note prepared last week for Thursday's behind-closed-doors meeting of the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu says he spoke to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Jan. 18 "and they both agreed that it was necessary for the removal process to pick up pace." Under a timeline drawn up last year, the most toxic chemicals in Syria's 1,300-metric-ton stockpile were to have been removed from the country by Dec. 31, but that deadline was missed due to poor security in war-torn Syria and other factors. So far, just two small consignments of chemicals have been shipped out.