Germany to destroy effluent from Syrian chemicals

Germany will destroy effluent from Syrian chemicals, Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement Thursday. According to the international chemical watchdog, Germany will dispose of 370 metric tons of effluent to be generated by the hydrolysis of Syria's stock of mustard gas aboard the U.S. vessel MV Cape Ray. The effluent will be incinerated at a specialised German government facility while adhering to the highest safety and environmental standards. OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu expressed his welcome to the offer from Germany as "an important contribution" to the international task of eliminating Syria's entire chemical weapons program. "I wish to thank the Federal Republic of Germany for this contribution, which will further strengthen the impressive collective efforts by our States Parties to remove and destroy Syrian chemical weapons," Uzumcu said. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Thursday that Germany will help in world efforts to destroy Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons. "No one shall refuse to help if he has the technical capacity," Steinmeier said, adding that the government has therefore decided not to shirk its responsibility and to make a substantial contribution. According to media reports, the meterials that Germany has offered to handle would come to Munster in northern Germany's state of Lower Saxony and be destroyed in facilities of German armed forces. "Germany has safe technology and experience with the destruction of chemical weapons waste," Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said, noting it would be a valuable contribution to the peace process to help destroy chemical materials from Syria. The first batch of Syria's chemical weapons materials was shipped out of the Middle East country for destruction on Tuesday, beginning a crucial phase of an internationally backed disarmament program.