00:44UN: UN inspectors hoping for access to Syrian chemical attack site
USA: UN inspectors hoping for access to Syrian chemical attack site
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson expressed hopes that UN chemical weapons inspectors will gain access to the Damascus suburb where an alleged chemical weapons attack killed over 1,000 people on Wednesday. Eliasson spoke to the press in New York after an emergency Security Council meeting was called by Saudi Arabia in response to the reported attack.
He said the team of inspectors, headed by Dr. Sellstrom are discussing the possibility of investigating the incident with approval from the Syrian government. "We very much hope that we will be able to conduct the investigation. Dr. Sellstrom and his team are in place in Damascus. We hope that they will be given access to the area by the government, it's a requirement of consent in places like this. And that also the security situation will allow them to enter the area. It is a very dramatic situation and the security situation right now does not allow such access," Eliasson said.
The regional bloc, the Arab League and Western powers have demanded that Syria's government allow U.N. inspectors immediate access to the site of the alleged attacks.
Syria's government led by Bashir al-Assad denied using chemical weapons in its latest offensive on Ghouta, which is occupied by opposition groups.
00:44USA: UN inspectors hoping for access to Syrian chemical attack site
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson expressed hopes that UN chemical weapons inspectors will gain access to the Damascus suburb where an alleged chemical weapons attack killed over 1,000 people on Wednesday. Eliasson spoke to the press in New York after an emergency Security Council meeting was called by Saudi Arabia in response to the reported attack.
He said the team of inspectors, headed by Dr. Sellstrom are discussing the possibility of investigating the incident with approval from the Syrian government. "We very much hope that we will be able to conduct the investigation. Dr. Sellstrom and his team are in place in Damascus. We hope that they will be given access to the area by the government, it's a requirement of consent in places like this. And that also the security situation will allow them to enter the area. It is a very dramatic situation and the security situation right now does not allow such access," Eliasson said.
The regional bloc, the Arab League and Western powers have demanded that Syria's government allow U.N. inspectors immediate access to the site of the alleged attacks.
Syria's government led by Bashir al-Assad denied using chemical weapons in its latest offensive on Ghouta, which is occupied by opposition groups.