Syrian chemical weapons leave Italy to be destroyed in int'l waters
© Photo: East News
A US ship carrying deadly material from Syria's chemical arsenal has left Italy in the final phases of the destruction of the weapons. The naval vessel is taking the cargo, including mustard gas and components of the nerve agents VX and sarin, to international waters where it is to be destroyed. The materials were transferred from a Danish vessel to the US ship earlier on Wednesday, at the port of Gioia Tauro.
Syria agreed to the destruction of its chemical weapons
stockpile last year. The deal, backed by the UN and brokered by Russia
and the US, was made amid the threat of US air strikes, triggered by a
sarin gas attack on a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.
The shipment marks the closing phases in the operation to destroy Syria's chemical arsenal.
The
Danish vessel, Ark Futara, docked on Wednesday morning, carrying the
materials and accompanied by Italian coast guard ships and a military
helicopter.
The transfer of the cargo to the US ship was
completed amid tight security, with access roads to the port sealed
off, BBC reports.
A
Danish ship carrying Syria's chemical weapons arsenal arrived in Italy
where it will be transferred to a US cargo vessel Cape Ray that will
destroy the toxic material. The ship, escorted by an Italian coast guard
vessel and a helicopter, arrived to the Italian port of Gioia Tauro on
Wednesday.
Local
officials estimate that the transfer of chemicals might take as long as
20 hours depending on sea conditions. Once the chemicals are moved onto
the Cape Ray, it will sail into the open sea and the process of
neutralizing the materials will begin.
Last
month, the last batch of Syrian chemical weapons, including mustard gas
and the raw materials for sarin nerve gas were picked up by the Danish
ship Ark Futura for its further destruction as part of the international
effort to destroy Syria's chemical stockpile.
Russia
is critical of Western attempts to keep pumping money into the Syrian
opposition, saying it will cause the crisis in the country to
deteriorate further, and reiterates that there is no alternative to a
political settlement, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
told RIA Novosti.
"Whatever
slogans cover the US decision to provide such aid, in essence, this is
about fomenting the fire of war in the Middle East," Ryabkov said in
Damascus, adding that pumping the opposition with funds will only
aggravate the crisis in Syria.
"Unfortunately
our arguments, which are in fact obvious, are not being heard in
Washington,' Ryabkov said. 'We will continue our work as there is no
alternative to a political settlement," he added.Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_07_03/Syrian-chemical-weapons-leave-Italy-to-be-destroyed-in-intl-waters-2914/
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