UN chief concerned over Syrian chemical weapon plans

Belgrade, July 24 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern over the possibility of Syria using chemical weapons, calling such an action "reprehensible".

"It would be reprehensible if anyone in Syria would use weapons of mass destruction," Xinhua quoted Ban as telling reporters in the Serbian capital city of Belgrade.

The remarks came as Syria acknowledged earlier in the day that it had chemical and biological weapons.

A Syrian foreign ministry spokesperson said Monday that chemical or germ weapons would never be used in any inner fight or against Syrian people amid the current crisis "no matter how this crisis evolves".

The spokesperson, however, added that those arms would be used strictly in case of specific external aggression.

Ban was on a visit to Balkans countries, which has taken him to Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro.