Syria missed the December 31 deadline for the removal of part of its chemical weapons arsenal for destruction. The prospects for a peace conference slated for next month appeared to dim further, with Syrian media reporting the delivery of invitations to the meeting had been delayed.
Syria had been due to turn over some of the deadliest chemicals in its arsenal to ships by the end of the year, for delivery to a US boat which is to destroy them at sea. But Norwegian and Danish vessels that had been waiting off the Syrian coast returned to port in Cyprus as it became clear the mission would not go ahead as scheduled.
The international disarmament mission in Syria has acknowledged it is “unlikely” the weapons can be transported to Latakia port in time for the December 31 deadline. But the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons remained positive, saying the overall plan to rid Syria of its chemical arsenal was on track.
