KHALED AL-HARIRI/REUTERS
The United Nations confirmed Saturday that the Syrian government will most likely miss Tuesday’s deadline for removal of the ‘most critical chemical weapons material.’ Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the country is willing to participate in January peace talks.
The Syrian government will likely miss its first deadline in the Assad regime’s deal to scuttle its massive chemical weapons stash by mid-2014.
The United Nations confirmed Saturday that the upcoming Tuesday cutoff “for removal of the most critical chemical weapons material” would pass without completion by the Syrians.
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“At this stage, transportation of the most critical chemical material before 31 December is unlikely,” the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons announced.
The weapons’ removal and destruction would begin “as soon as possible.”
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The deal to remove the weapons was struck by the U.S. and Russia in September — one month after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government used the gas sarin to kill more than 1,400 people, including 400 children.
President Obama threatened an American military strike if Syria refused to surrender a sizable stockpile of blister agents and nerve gases.
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Assad did send a conciliatory message Saturday to Pope Francis in Rome, the Vatican Press Office said.
Syria is willing to participate in January peace talks, Assad said — but other nations must not support Syrian rebels, which Assad described as “terrorist groups,” according to the national news agency SANA.
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