Syrian Conflict: U.N. Chief Ban Ki-Moon Welcomes Diplomatic Developments on Syria’s Chemical Weapons
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, on Wednesday, welcomed emergence of "serious international discussions" on securing and destroying Syria's chemical weapons. He hoped that the discussions could lead to an agreement in the U.N. Security Council on the way to manage the Syrian crisis.
"The Secretary-General welcomes, therefore, President Obama's decision to take time to further explore this diplomatic opportunity to achieve this crucially important objective," a UN spokesman said in New York.
In a national address on Tuesday night, U.S. President Barack Obama citing "encouraging signs in recent days" announced that he was sending Secretary of State John Kerry to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to carry forward talks on ways to dismantle and destroy Syria's chemical weapon stockpile.
The talk between Kerry and Lavrov will be held on Thursday in Geneva; meanwhile, President Obama said he would continue discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. climb down came after Russian proposal that, Syria surrender its chemical weapons and place them under international control, was accepted by the beleaguered conflict-ridden country.
U.S. and Russia are permanent members of the UN Security Council along with China France and the United Kingdom. The all powerful Security Council has been deadlocked, over a solution to the 30 month crisis in Syria.
Ban's statement follows a flurry of diplomatic manoeuvring which sought to ease tensions between major powers and their regional allies.
As reported earlier, the U.N. chief had on Tuesday said that two-and-half years of conflict in Syria have produced only "embarrassing paralysis" in the Security Council. However, he had said, he was considering proposals to the 15-member body in the search for a political solution.
In the meantime, evidence collected by a UN team probing possible chemical weapons use in Syria on 21 August is being examined in Europe.
The statement said, the U.N. chief welcomed the efforts by Russia to advance a possible agreement.
"He hopes the U.S.-Russian meetings later this week will be productive in moving toward a process for addressing the Syrian chemical weapons threat which all parties will be committed to," the spokesperson said.
"The confirmed use of chemical weapons would be an outrageous crime for which there must be accountability and determined efforts to prevent any recurrence," the statement said.
