Last Chemical Weapons Production Facility To Be Destroyed By End Of 2015

The last chemical weapons production facility in Syria is to be destroyed by the end of 2015, said Kim Won-soo, U.N. Under Secretary-General and Acting High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

Won-soo attended a closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council Tuesday. He said after the meeting that the 12th hangar, the last one in Syria, was being prepared to be destroyed. The 11th facility has already been destroyed.

The U.N. official told Russian News Agency TASS that preparations for a joint effort by the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, called the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism, was almost over. The joint mechanism will investigate cases of combat use of chemical agents in the country. The mechanism is scheduled to start as early as Nov. 13.

U.S. President Barack Obama wished to get authorization from the Senate so that he could wage war against the Syrian regime over chemical weapons. His efforts were, however, not successful.

Senator Ben Cardin, a ranking member of a new Authorization of the Use of Military Force, believes it will be really challenging to convince Congress to pass a new AUMF. Senator Tim Kaine feels the same.

“I get it, members of Congress are afraid to cast a vote on war,” Politico quoted Kaine as saying. “If you want to be real cold about it, if Congress doesn’t support it, then we shouldn’t be forcing people to risk their lives.”

Present security situation has not allowed access to the last two hangars out of seven. In Syria, there are 12 chemical weapons production facilities including five underground facilities.