Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says the country will host global discussions on the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.Experts from Russia, Syria, the United States, the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will participate in the meeting in Moscow on Friday, Ryabkov told the Voice of Russia radio on Tuesday.
Referring to the program for eliminating the chemical weapons, Ryabkov said, We are certain that we will be able to complete this process in the agreed timeframe, meaning in the first half of the coming year."
Last week, the OPCW finalized its plan for the destruction of Syrias stockpile of chemical weapons. According to the OPCWs timeline, the most toxic chemicals will be transported out of Syria by December 31 and eradicated by March 31. All other chemical substances will be destroyed by June 30.
The OPCW is implementing a UN resolution on scrapping Syrias chemical weapons arsenal. The United Nations Security Council approved the resolution on September 27.
On September 14, Russia and the United States agreed on a deal according to which Syria would have its chemical weapons eliminated and the US would in return not carry out planned strikes on the Arab country.
The war rhetoric against Syria intensified after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of launching a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of the capital Damascus on August 21.
Damascus has vehemently denied the accusations, saying the attack was carried out by the militants themselves as a false-flag operation.
Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
By Press TV
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.
