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19:36 GMT
NEW YORK, July 30 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday urged Syria to cooperate with the international efforts to eliminate, as quickly as possible, all outstanding issues related to its chemical weapons (CWs) programme.
"I urge the Syrian Arab Republic to continue its efforts towards the full elimination of its chemical weapons programme at the earliest possible opportunity, including the resolution of any possible outstanding issues related to its initial declaration," Ban said in a report to the Council.
On the OPCW-UN Joint Mission (the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the UN) tasked to eliminate Syria's CWs, Ban said that on July 2, the Danish cargo vessel Ark Futura successfully trans-loaded the majority of its cargo of priority chemical weapons materials to the United States maritime vessel Cape Ray at the Italian port of Gioia Tauro, and destruction of these materials has since taken place in international waters.
Syria is required by resolution 2118 of 2013 to get rid of its CWs by June 30, 2014.
Ban also said in his report that he remains "very concerned" about continuing allegations regarding the use of toxic chemicals in the Syrian conflict.
"I strongly condemn any such use by any party to the conflict. I trust that those found responsible will be brought to justice," he warned, stressing that the violence must stop," he added. (end)
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