Syria stresses commitment to eradicate chemical weapons

Syria's Deputy Foreign Ministry Faisal Mekdad stressed Wednesday that Syria is moving on with " determination, power and credibility" to fully implement the agreements it had signed with the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), regarding the eradication of Syria's chemical weapons, according to the state-run SANA news agency. Mekdad underscored the difficulties facing the implementation of the chemical weapons agreement which his country signed late last year with the OPCW, saying "the difficulties that are facing Syria, especially in its battle against terrorism, may hinder the implementation of some commitments and the countries that are supporting the armed terrorist groups must realize that they are committing crimes against humanity." He stressed that "there will be no wavering regarding moving the chemical weapons outside Syria." Mekdad's remarks came against the backdrop of some Western voices that urged the Syrian government to stick to the timetable of removing its chemical weapons according to its commitments and agreements with the OPCW and the UN joint mission. The United States blamed the Syrian government for slow progress in removing its stockpiled chemical weapons, urging Damascus to take "necessary steps" to expedite the process. State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki expressed "deep concern" about Syria's failure to move all of its chemical agents, as mandated by UN Security Council resolution 2118, to its port of Lattakia for being transported to a ship in the sea for destruction. The executive council of the OPCW, mandated to oversee the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons, met as the most dangerous chemicals had failed to be shipped out of Syria by the Dec. 31, 2013 deadline, and another deadline looms for all other required chemicals to be removed by Feb. 5. The Syrian government has repeatedly stressed commitment to its pledges, accusing the armed rebels of hindering the transportation of chemical materials as some storage places are located in rebel- held areas.