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| Chemical Arms Monitor Debates Syrian Plan to Destroy Weapons | Chemical Arms Monitor Debates Syrian Plan to Destroy Weapons |
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| LONDON — Members of the United Nations chemical weapons watchdog met on Friday in The Hague to debate and possibly adopt a Syrian government plan to destroy its stocks of toxic munitions under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States to avert an American-led military strike. | LONDON — Members of the United Nations chemical weapons watchdog met on Friday in The Hague to debate and possibly adopt a Syrian government plan to destroy its stocks of toxic munitions under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States to avert an American-led military strike. |
| But, as the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons opened its deliberations, the outcome of the discussions seemed to hinge in part on a decision to be made in distant Albania, where the United States is pressing the authorities to permit the destruction of around 1,300 tons of Syrian chemical weapons on its territory. | But, as the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons opened its deliberations, the outcome of the discussions seemed to hinge in part on a decision to be made in distant Albania, where the United States is pressing the authorities to permit the destruction of around 1,300 tons of Syrian chemical weapons on its territory. |
| Norway has already refused an American request to destroy the arsenal on its soil, and opposition lawmakers in Albania registered powerful objections on Thursday to a similar entreaty from Washington, news reports said. | |
| Russia and the United States want most of the chemical stockpile to be removed from Syria by the end of the year and destroyed by mid-2014. But the idea of receiving tons of toxic weapons has raised environmental, political and other concerns in potential host countries. | |
| Protesters outside the Albanian Parliament in Tirana carried placards on Thursday proclaiming “No to chemical weapons in Albania,” Reuters said. | Protesters outside the Albanian Parliament in Tirana carried placards on Thursday proclaiming “No to chemical weapons in Albania,” Reuters said. |
| After an initial session on Friday, the 41-member executive council of the chemical watchdog adjourned its talks until later, ostensibly to give delegates more time to work on the wording of an announcement but also to await word from Tirana about Albania’s response to the American request. | After an initial session on Friday, the 41-member executive council of the chemical watchdog adjourned its talks until later, ostensibly to give delegates more time to work on the wording of an announcement but also to await word from Tirana about Albania’s response to the American request. |
| Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania said he would make his country’s position clear shortly before the planned resumption of the meeting in The Hague in late afternoon. | |
| Syria agreed to the plan to destroy its production facilities and stockpile of chemical weapons as President Obama, supported by France, threatened military action after a chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21 in a suburb of Damascus killed hundreds of people. | Syria agreed to the plan to destroy its production facilities and stockpile of chemical weapons as President Obama, supported by France, threatened military action after a chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21 in a suburb of Damascus killed hundreds of people. |
| The United States accused President Bashar al-Assad’s forces of responsibility for the attack and said sarin gas had been used. But the Syrian authorities laid blame for the onslaught on rebels in the civil war that has continued and even intensified in some areas using conventional weapons while diplomats have focused on the destruction of nerve agents and other toxins. | The United States accused President Bashar al-Assad’s forces of responsibility for the attack and said sarin gas had been used. But the Syrian authorities laid blame for the onslaught on rebels in the civil war that has continued and even intensified in some areas using conventional weapons while diplomats have focused on the destruction of nerve agents and other toxins. |
| On Oct. 24, Syria presented the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons with “its formal initial declaration covering its chemical weapons program,” the watchdog said at the time. | On Oct. 24, Syria presented the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons with “its formal initial declaration covering its chemical weapons program,” the watchdog said at the time. |
| “Such declarations provide the basis on which plans are devised for a systematic, total and verified destruction of declared chemical weapons and production facilities,” the organization said, adding that the Syrian document included “a general plan of destruction.” | “Such declarations provide the basis on which plans are devised for a systematic, total and verified destruction of declared chemical weapons and production facilities,” the organization said, adding that the Syrian document included “a general plan of destruction.” |
| International chemical weapons inspectors inside Syria said last week that they had verified the destruction of 22 of the 23 sites that the Syrian government declared had been used for the production and mixing of the banned munitions. | International chemical weapons inspectors inside Syria said last week that they had verified the destruction of 22 of the 23 sites that the Syrian government declared had been used for the production and mixing of the banned munitions. |
| But the destruction of the stockpile of weapons and chemicals is far more complex. The arsenal, including mustard gas and sarin, must first be transported through potentially hostile territory inside Syria to a port for shipment overseas. The process of destroying the weapons is likely to produce significant amounts of toxic waste, requiring the creation of costly facilities to dispose of it. | But the destruction of the stockpile of weapons and chemicals is far more complex. The arsenal, including mustard gas and sarin, must first be transported through potentially hostile territory inside Syria to a port for shipment overseas. The process of destroying the weapons is likely to produce significant amounts of toxic waste, requiring the creation of costly facilities to dispose of it. |
| Weapons inspectors and diplomats say they are also concerned about ensuring that the chemicals are protected from thieves or militants. | Weapons inspectors and diplomats say they are also concerned about ensuring that the chemicals are protected from thieves or militants. |