Security Council okays plan to rid Syria of chemical weapons

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

The British and Russian UN ambassadors, who were in closed-door council consultations, said that the 15 council members approved Ki-moon's plan to set up a joint mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations to rid Syria of chemical weapons in accordance with the latest Security Council resolution 2118, unanimously adopted on September 27.

In an unusual, if not precedent-setting action, the Council President Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev of Azerbaijan, was authorised to draft a letter of approval to the secretary-general, both the British and Russian envoys said.

All the council members support Ban's proposal for the joint mission and the plan "should be approved by letter soon", British UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said in a tweet from the council chambers.

Afterwards, Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin emerged from the closed council meeting agreed, and explained the accord while speaking with reporters.

"Our proposal (was) that the Security Council should take a shortcut in quickly approving this letter of the secretary-general and establishing the joint operation by OPCW-United Nations, approving it by a letter from the President of the Security Council in response to this letter of the secretary-general," he said, referring to Ban's 10-page letter sent on October 7.

"That proposal was approved," Churkin said. "So, we are looking forward to receiving a draft letter from the president of the council for approval of the members of the Security Council, therefore establishing this joint mission."

Some destruction of chemical weapons manufacturing plants and other material already has been carried out. Syria is responsible for carrying out such work, under the eyes of the OPCW.

The October 7 letter said the mission would be based in Cyprus and it was expected to swell to about 100 persons and be finished by the middle of next year.

Churkin also told reporters the council members were concerned about how the joint team would be able to operate in a war zone.

"Hopefully the parties will respect the work of the OPCW and the United Nations," he said.

"We know the Syrian government intends to do that so we hope that various opposition groups, especially armed opposition groups will also work in a manner which will not hinder this joint mission."