20 March 2013 | 14:07

UN chief says chemical weapon use would be 'outrageous'

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "remains convinced that the use of chemical weapons by any party (in Syria) under any circumstances would constitute an outrageous crime," AFP reports according to the UN. The comment came after Syria's government and opposing rebels on Tuesday each accused each other of using chemical weapons for the first time in two years of unrest in Syria. Ban and Ahmet Uzumcu, Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, "shared deep concern about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria," the UN said, in a statement following their conversation. The two men pledged to "maintain close contact as developments unfold." UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said that the UN was "aware of the report" that chemical weapons had been used in Syria, but said "we are not in a position to confirm it." Key Bashar al-Assad ally Moscow said it had "information" from Damascus that rebels had used chemical weapons, while Washington said there was "no evidence" the insurgents had staged their first chemical attack and warned it would be "totally unacceptable" for the regime to use such arms.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "remains convinced that the use of chemical weapons by any party (in Syria) under any circumstances would constitute an outrageous crime," AFP reports according to the UN. The comment came after Syria's government and opposing rebels on Tuesday each accused each other of using chemical weapons for the first time in two years of unrest in Syria. Ban and Ahmet Uzumcu, Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, "shared deep concern about the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria," the UN said, in a statement following their conversation. The two men pledged to "maintain close contact as developments unfold." UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said that the UN was "aware of the report" that chemical weapons had been used in Syria, but said "we are not in a position to confirm it." Key Bashar al-Assad ally Moscow said it had "information" from Damascus that rebels had used chemical weapons, while Washington said there was "no evidence" the insurgents had staged their first chemical attack and warned it would be "totally unacceptable" for the regime to use such arms.

unrest UN Syria news Middle East & Africa chemicals Ban Ki-moon