Kaag expects mid-2014 deadline to rid Syria of chemical weapons not to be missed

Sigrid Kaag, the Special Coordinator of the Joint Mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations on Wednesday said there is "no reason" the deadline of June 30, 2014 to rid Syria of all its Chemical Weapons (CW) would be missed, warning that the security situation would be a factor if it would. "There is a collective expectation by the Security Council that, looking at the end of June deadline, there is no reason to assume that a delay should occur, all things being equal," Kaag told reporters following a closed-door briefing to the Council on the work of the Mission. "We also have to remember Syria is a country at war. Security situation can shift from day to day. But everything is ready, investment is made and the authorities have shown that first movement has started to happen. The prospects are good," she said. She was referring to yesterdays news that the initial quantity of priority chemical materials was moved from two sites to the port of Lattakia, Syria, for verification, and was then loaded onto a Danish cargo ship which headed for international waters to await the arrival of more. Maritime security was provided by naval escorts from China, Denmark, Norway and Russia. She described that first movement as a "first important step in an expected process of continued movement for the onward destruction out of the country." She said she discussed with Council members the security challenges in Syria and foreword outlook, adding that the Council expressed the "wish for a collective expectation that progress is now sustained, that momentum is visible and that the end of June 2014 deadline for the complete elimination of Syrias Chemical Weapons programme will indeed be attained." Council President H.R.H. Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan later told reporters that the Council welcomed the "clear progress" up to this point and expressed appreciation to the Joint Mission for its achievement to date. He added that the Council took note of the remaining logistical and security challenges, particularly Mission personnel in implementing their task.