(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) early Saturday approved the plan for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons. The plan, which calls for all of Syria's chemical weapons to be destroyed by the middle of next year, takes affect immediately, the OPCW said.
The approval of the plan by the executive committee of the OPCW is a prerequisite for the passage of a resolution on Syria in the UN Security Council. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem told the Voice of America (VOA) that Syria will support the resolution "as long as it is according to our commitment when we joined the agreement.
" He said that the Syrian government is "seriously committed to fulfill[ing] our obligations." The United States and Russia agreed Thursday on the language of the Security Council resolution, following weeks of talks about how to ensure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad complies with the disarmament plan. The draft resolution gives inspectors access to Syria's chemical weapons sites but does not threaten military force.
The resolution calls for inspections within 30 days at all chemical weapons sites declared by Syria's government. International experts are supposed to begin inspecting Syria's chemical arsenal by Tuesday The resolution also requires Assad to give up his chemical weapons by mid-2014.
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