Local Editor
The United Nations accepted an invitation by the Syrian government for a visit by two senior UN officials for talks on the purported use of chemical weapons in the country’s current conflict.
The offer of talks was made to Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom, named by the United Nations to investigate the claims, and Angela Kane, UN High Representative for Disarmament.
Sellstrom and Kane have accepted the invitation “with a view to completing the consultations on the modalities of cooperation required for the proper, safe and efficient conduct of the UN mission to investigate allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria”, said Martin Nesirky, spokesman for the UN chief.
Nesirky did not specify a date for the visit.
He also noted Sellstrom had met Wednesday with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Earlier on Monday, Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari, said on Monday that his country has invited Sellstrom and Kane on the purported use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict.
He told reporters that the aim of the talks was to “discuss further the mechanism and terms of reference of the mission” established in March.
Jaafari stressed that Damascus didn’t shift the scope and purpose of the UN investigation, as he refused to “anticipate the outcome of the talks”.
Source: Al Manar
