Syria has 1,000 tons of chemical weapons: claim

ISTANBUL

Syria has nearly 1,000 tons in stocks of chemical weapons, findings have shown, according to Ahmet Üzümcü, director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). But Üzümcü said it was not possible to categorically confirm this information.

 “We could not confirm if Syria has chemical weapons or not. However, Syria is said to have a stock of 1000 tons of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, sarin gas, Vx nerve gas. We do not know the amount of these chemical gases and where they are being kept,” Üzümcü said. He said chemical weapons had been brought to the agenda following a recent statement from Carla del Ponte, a member of the U.N. Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, who said, “[Damascus’] opponents may have used chemical weapons.”