Syria Grants OPCW Requested Access to Research Centers – Minister

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - Syria’s government has approved an inspection by the joint panel of UN experts and a chemical weapons watchdog to two research centers, the deputy foreign minister told Sputnik.

"We have approved all visits requested by the OPCW, including this one. It is an official inspection that pursues a specific goal. We will by no means hinder the OPCW and will let it get acquainted with our achievements – which is our commitment to obligations," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said.

READ MORE: Assad and Russian Envoy Discussing Formation of Syria Constitutional Commission

Currently, the minister who is a former Syrian top diplomat in the UN, heads a state committee that guarantees that Syria remains in compliance with a UN convention banning nuclear weapons after it destroyed them in a verified process in 2013.

Earlier this month, the United Nations announced that it had picked two research centers in Barza and Jamraya, north of Damascus, for inspection by a UN-OPCW joint mechanism.

In addition, Syria’s Foreign Ministry urged earlier the UN to investigate the use by the US-led coalition of internationally banned white phosphorus in its recent bombing of the southeastern Syrian town of Hajin. 

The US-led coalition is conducting military operations in Syria against the Daesh* terrorist group (banned in Russia). The coalition's strikes have not been authorized by the Syrian government or the United Nations.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia