Syrian chemical arsenal fully secured: Russian diplomat

Moscow, July 25 (Xinhua-ANI): The Syrian authorities have assured Russia the security of its chemical arsenal is protected, Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told local media.

During an interview with Itar-Tass news agency published on Wednesday, Gatilov said that according to the information obtained by Moscow, the security of chemical stockpiles are "fully ensured" by the Syrian government.

Russia is contacting the Syrian side so as to "secure reliable protection of the country's chemical weapons storage," Gatilov said, adding that Moscow has urged Damascus to fulfill its obligations under the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the Convention on the prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said Monday it might use chemical or germ weapons if there was specific outside aggression. Such weapons will never be used in any inner fight or against Syrian people amid the current crisis, according to the ministry.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. President Barack Obama have expressed their concern at the statement.

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the Syrian authorities to strictly honor its obligations under the international ban on chemical weapons.

"In this connection, we would like to stress that in 1968 Syria joined and ratified the Geneva protocol of 1925, which prohibits the use of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases in war," the ministry said.

"Russia expects the Syrian authorities to continue adhering to their international obligations in the future," it added. (Xinhua-ANI)