UN weapons experts leave Damascus

Two UN envoys on a mission to persuade Syria's government to allow inspectors to probe alleged chemical weapons attacks ended a 24-hour visit today, the United Nations said in Damascus.
Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom and Angela Kane, the UN high representative for disarmament, "have left Damascus after an official two-day visit, during which the experts met with Syrian officials" including Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, said UN media and communications analyst Khaled Al Masri.
The Damascus-based UN official gave no details on the discussions.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in New York: "I will get the report, since they are coming out of Syria now; we will get the report soon."

According to a source close to the Syrian government, the authorities reiterated their demand that the UN focus on investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal, near the northern city of Aleppo.
President Bashar al-Assad's regime has insisted that the rebels were responsible for the alleged chemical attack there in March.

Khan al-Assal fell from regime control and into rebel hands on Monday, complicating any effort to send in inspectors to visit the site.
The United Nations says Damascus has refused bids to investigate British and French claims that chemical attacks have also hit Homs in central Syria.

In all, the United Nations has received 13 allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Syria's regime and rebels fighting to topple it have accused each other of using chemical weapons in the drawn-out conflict which has seen more than 100,000 people killed.