UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The United Nations said Tuesday a mission tasked with investigating charges of use of weapons of mass destruction in Syria is ready to head for the country.
A U.N. spokesman said weapons inspector Ake Sellstrom completed the necessary logistical arrangements for a visit to Syria. U.N. special envoy for disarmament Angela Kane, meanwhile, continued working with the Syrian government to ensure the investigation was safe and efficient.
Both envoys convened in Beirut last month before heading for "thorough and productive" talks with the Syrian government in Damascus. The United Nations has been brief in providing details of the investigation or the substance of the talks in Damascus.
"Once the government of Syria confirms its acceptance of the modalities, the mission will depart without delay," the U.N. spokesman said.
U.S. President Barack Obama said the use of chemical weapons in Syria could spark a more comprehensive response to alleged abuses committed by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad. The British government said it had evidence the use of chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, was sanctioned by Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Both parties to a conflict raging since early 2011 are accused of violating international laws during the conflict. Russian authorities in March accused rebel forces of using sarin nerve gas during an early battle in an Aleppo suburb.
