By Jaime Ortega.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon called on Thursday to investigate “promptly” the complaint of a new chemical attack in Syria, and he instructed his High Representative for Disarmament Affairs to travel to Damascus.
“The secretary-general remains deeply concerned about the incident and believes that the incident must be investigated without delay,” he told reporters Thursday before the UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey, to specify that it was submitted a “formal request” to the Syrian government.
The spokesman detailed that Ban has been in contact since Wednesday with international leaders to address the situation in Syria, and said that has ordered the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, traveling to Damascus to work with the investigation.
The secretary general, who has called a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, asked the expert mission that is already in Damascus that they may access the scene and investigate the problem in greater detail.
“I was sent a formal request to the Syrian Government and hope to receive a positive response immediately,” added the spokesman, and said that UN officials are in contact with the authorities without specifying who these are.
Ban noted the meeting held on Wednesday, the Security Council and the “conclusions” of his presidency, and supported its intention to carry out an investigation “thorough, impartial and without delay,” the source said.
In Syria the UN launched an expert mission to investigate the three alleged cases of chemical attacks followed by the agreement reached between the international organization and the authorities in Damascus.
The Syrian National Coalition (CNFROS) reported Wednesday that at least 1,300 people were killed in an attack by chemical weapons around the capital, The Army immediately rejected accusations by the regime in Damascus.
The government of Bashar al-Assad and insurgents accuse the opposition for months to have used such weapons during the conflict in Syria, one of the seven countries that has not signed the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997.
Since the civil war began in Syria in March 2011, they have been killed more than 100,000 people and nearly seven million need emergency care humanitarian aid, according to the latest UN figures.
