China to help deal with chemical weapons

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China to help deal with chemical weapons

By Zhang Yunbi (China Daily) 08:15, September 24, 2013

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China will send experts "when asked" to help with the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

China welcomes the Syrian government's submission of a list of its chemical weapons to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in Beijing on Monday, adding that the decision is "one more positive measure".

The organization confirmed it received the list on Saturday.

"Regarding the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria, China will support the OPCW's work as before, including sending experts to participate in the action at the request of the organization," Hong said.

China has consistently supported the work of the OPCW and provided many high-end experts, especially chemical-weapons inspectors, to the organization.

Beijing "supports the OPCW's positive role in settling the Syrian chemical weapons issue and is willing to work with various parties to push its (the OPCW's) standing committee to pass a resolution", Hong said.

Li Shaoxian, a Middle East studies researcher at China Institutes of Contemporary Relations, cautioned that the process of eliminating chemical weapons could be disrupted if the situation in Syria continues to worsen.

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