Russia to hand over chemical arms use proof

Moscow, Sep 19 (IANS/ITAR -TASS) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov Thursday said his country is ready to hand over evidence of chemical weapons use by Syria's "irreconcilable opposition" and it may be done even before the end of the day.

"We hope to do it as promptly as possible, either tonight or tomorrow," Bodganov said.

He said the Syrian government was preparing the data on its chemical weapons that would be submitted to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The Russian deputy minister said that it was "important to wait for the experts to publish the assessments that should rely first and foremost on the information the Syrian side is preparing for transmission to The Hague so that its data would lay the groundwork for estimates and further practical steps by the OPCW".

He said Russia was ready to organise in Moscow contacts between representatives of different Syrian opposition groups

"We are ready to organise contacts not only with the opposition, but also between the opposition groups, maybe in Moscow," said Bogdanov, who is also the Russian president's envoy to the Middle East.

According to him, Russia has already invited the leadership of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

"We long ago invited the leadership of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces to Moscow and are ready for contacts with its representatives in other countries," Bogdanov told TASS.

"It is not ruled out that we will have contacts in New York within the framework of the UN General Assembly," he added.

--IANS/ITAR-TASS

ab/dg