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Syria crisis: Destroying chemical weapons 'is doable' Syria tells Russia it has proof rebels used chemicals
(about 2 hours later)
The chief UN weapons inspector says it will be difficult to find and destroy all of Syria's chemical weapons, but he believes it is achievable. Syria has given Russia new "material evidence" that opposition fighters in the Syrian conflict have used chemical weapons, a Russian minister has said.
Ake Sellstrom told the BBC much depended on whether Damascus and the opposition were willing to negotiate. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said a report by UN inspectors on the alleged use of chemical weapons was "politicised, biased and one-sided".
He said his team concluded after a visit to Syria that the nerve agent sarin was used in an attack in a Damascus area on 21 August. He said the inspectors had only looked at evidence of an alleged attack on 21 August, not three previous incidents.
The UN Security Council is now trying to agree a resolution on the issue. The UN team found that the nerve agent Sarin was used in the 21 August attack.
Western nations blame government forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the deadly attack in the Ghouta area. The report, however, did not apportion blame for the attack but Western nations blame the government forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Damascus - backed by Russia - says the opposition forces are to blame. Damascus - backed by Russia - says opposition forces are to blame.
UN disagreements Meanwhile the chief UN weapons inspector, Ake Sellstrom, has told the BBC it will be difficult to find and destroy all of Syria's chemical weapons, but he believes it is "doable".
Mr Sellstrom told the BBC's Newsday programme that dealing with Syria's chemical arsenal was "doable". "But of course, it will be a stressful work," he added. Mr Sellstrom said much depended on whether the Syrian government and the opposition were willing to negotiate.
"Depending on the position of the Syrian government and the position of the opposition, depending on how much they could negotiate, it could be done. "Of course, it will be a stressful work," he added.
"It will be a difficult job."
Mr Sellstrom also said his team's report may have contributed to Syria saying it was prepared to give up its chemical weapons.Mr Sellstrom also said his team's report may have contributed to Syria saying it was prepared to give up its chemical weapons.
The report, however, did not apportion blame for the attack. UN divided
On Tuesday, the five permanent UN Security Council members - France, the UK, the US, Russia and China - met in New York to discuss a resolution on making safe Syria's chemical weapons. On Tuesday the five permanent UN Security Council members - France, the UK, the US, Russia and China - met in New York to discuss a resolution on Syria's chemical weapons.
They were discussing a draft resolution put forward by the UK, France and the US.
Such a document is seen as a key step in a US-Russia brokered plan under which Syria will disclose its arsenal within a week and eliminate it by mid-2014.Such a document is seen as a key step in a US-Russia brokered plan under which Syria will disclose its arsenal within a week and eliminate it by mid-2014.
However, there have already been key disagreements over the wording.However, there have already been key disagreements over the wording.
France, the UK and US want a resolution carrying the threat of military action but Russia opposes this. France, the UK and US want a resolution containing the threat of military action but Russia opposes this.
The US and Russia hammered out their plan last weekend after Washington had threatened the Syrian government with military action over a chemical weapons attack in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 August. Earlier, the disagreements were highlighted at a meeting between Mr Lavrov and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in Moscow.
Referring to the UN's findings, Mr Fabius said: "When you look at the amount of sarin gas used, the vectors, the techniques behind such an attack, as well as other aspects, it seems to leave no doubt that the regime [of President Assad] is behind it."
But Mr Lavrov said: "We have serious grounds to believe this was a provocation... But the truth needs to be established and this will be a test of the future work of the Security Council."
He said any UN resolution on the Syrian chemicals issue should not contain the threat of military action.
A resolution under Chapter VII of the UN charter permits military action if other measures do not succeed. Chapter VI requires a purely negotiated solution.
The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow says Russia has delivered a promise from Syria to give up its chemical weapons, and it seems that at this stage Moscow does not feel like giving the Western allies anything more.
Russia and China have three times blocked Western-backed Security Council resolutions against Mr Assad.
More than 100,000 people have died since the uprising against President Assad began in 2011.
Millions of Syrians have fled the country, mostly to neighbouring nations. Millions more have been internally displaced.