Ban asks UN team to expedite analyses of Syrian sample

Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon today asked the head of the UN chemical weapons inspection team to expedite the analysis of tests from samples collected from Syria and submit the report as soon as possible.
"The samples collected by a UN inspectors team which concluded its visit to Syria to investigate into allegations of chemical weapons attack would be transferred to laboratories on Monday," a UN official said.
"All preparations for classifying the samples are progressing well. Samples will begin to be transferred to laboratories tomorrow," a UN spokesperson said after the Secretary-General held a telephonic conversation with Dr Ake Sellstrom, Head of the UN Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in Syria.

Dr Sellstrom, who has just returned to The Hague with the rest of his expert team, after work in Syria from 19 to 31 August, briefed Ban on the next stages of the investigation process.
He told the Secretary-General that two Syrian officials were observing the process.
The whole process will be done strictly adhering to the highest established standards of verification recognised by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons the UN spokesperson said.
"In light of the horrendous magnitude of the 21 August incident in the Ghouta area of Damascus, the Secretary-General asked Dr Sellstrom to expedite the Mission's analysis of the samples and information it had obtained without jeopardising the scientific timelines required for accurate analysis, and to report the results to him as soon as possible," the UN statement said.