20 September 2013 Last updated at 10:11 ET
The UN has described a chemical weapons attack in Damascus last month as a war crime
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Syria has begun sending details of its chemical weapons as part of a US-Russia brokered deal to make them safe, the chemical arms watchdog has said.
The Hague-based OPCW added that it expected more details from Syria in the coming days and had postponed a meeting planned for Sunday.
Syria was given a Saturday deadline to give a full list of its chemical arms.
The US had threatened military action over a chemical attack in Damascus last month, which the UN called a war crime.
The US, UK and France have accused Syrian government forces of carrying out the attack in the Ghouta district, but President Bashar al-Assad has blamed rebel groups.
Meeting postponedMichael Luhan, a spokesman for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is responsible for policing the treaty outlawing chemical arms, said Syria's submission was an "initial declaration".
Continue reading the main story[h=2]Syria's chemical weapons[/h]
Mr Luhan said it was now being examined by the organisation's technical secretariat but he declined to say what was in it.
A UN diplomat confirmed to Reuters that details had been submitted, adding: "It's quite long... and being translated."
The US-Russia-brokered deal aims to have inspectors on the ground in Syria in November, when they will make an initial assessment and oversee the destruction of certain equipment.
The destruction of all of Syria's chemical weapons would then be completed by mid-2014.
The core members of the OPCW were expected to vote on the timetable next week.
However, the OPCW said in a statement on Friday that a meeting of its executive council scheduled for Sunday had been postponed, without giving a reason.
"We will announce the new date and time... as soon as possible," it said.
Continue reading the main story
Syria has begun sending details of its chemical weapons as part of a US-Russia brokered deal to make them safe, the chemical arms watchdog has said.
The Hague-based OPCW added that it expected more details from Syria in the coming days and had postponed a meeting planned for Sunday.
Syria was given a Saturday deadline to give a full list of its chemical arms.
The US had threatened military action over a chemical attack in Damascus last month, which the UN called a war crime.
The US, UK and France have accused Syrian government forces of carrying out the attack in the Ghouta district, but President Bashar al-Assad has blamed rebel groups.
Meeting postponedMichael Luhan, a spokesman for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is responsible for policing the treaty outlawing chemical arms, said Syria's submission was an "initial declaration".
Continue reading the main story[h=2]Syria's chemical weapons[/h]
- CIA believes Syria's arsenal can be "delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile, and artillery rockets"
- Syria believed to possess mustard gas, sarin, and tried to develop VX gas
- Syria has agreed to join Chemical Weapons Convention; it signed Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention in 1972 but never ratified
Mr Luhan said it was now being examined by the organisation's technical secretariat but he declined to say what was in it.
A UN diplomat confirmed to Reuters that details had been submitted, adding: "It's quite long... and being translated."
The US-Russia-brokered deal aims to have inspectors on the ground in Syria in November, when they will make an initial assessment and oversee the destruction of certain equipment.
The destruction of all of Syria's chemical weapons would then be completed by mid-2014.
The core members of the OPCW were expected to vote on the timetable next week.
However, the OPCW said in a statement on Friday that a meeting of its executive council scheduled for Sunday had been postponed, without giving a reason.
"We will announce the new date and time... as soon as possible," it said.