The OPCW-UN Joint Mission mandated to rod Ayria of its chemical weapons announced on Saturday that, due to technical difficulties, there will be a "limited delay" in the transport of the first tranche of chemical agents from the Syrian Arab Republic scheduled to be removed from Syria on December 31st. "The Secretary-General stresses that the international effort to eliminate the chemical weapons programme of the Syrian Arab Republic continues to make effective progress, as demonstrated by the steady achievements in meeting all previous milestones the past three months," the UN press office said in a statement. Despite this delay the Joint Mission continues to work closely and intensively with the Syrian Government and the assisting States Parties to begin safe and secure removal and transportation operations "as soon as possible."a