Vella rubbishes fears over destruction of Syrian chemical weapons

Despite the intensive international criticism and fears revolving around the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella yesterday reassured that the process carries no risks for Malta and surrounding countries.  

Dismissing the these fears as "unnecessary panic," Vella explained that the toxic chemicals found in the weapons only pose a danger to humans if these are inhaled or come into contact with skin.

Downplaying the concerns raised in Greece, Italy and other Mediterranean nations as "misconceptions," Vella denied that the by-products of the treated chemicals "will not be dumped at sea".

Although the minister said that if these by-products are released in the air or diluted in water, they would pose no risk to humans or the environment, Vella explained that Germany was among a number of countries which had already offered to burn or store the by-products. 

Although the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile of 30 tonnes of mustard gas and about 1,300 tonnes of toxic chemicals required to produce sarin and mustard gas was supposed to be completed by December 2013, it appears to have stalled.

So far, only 15 tonnes have been shipped out of the Syrian port of Latakia. With the deadline to remove the entire stockpile from Syria by 14 February approaching fast, in all likelihood the final deadline to destroy the chemicals by June will not be reached.

This has raised more concern in surrounding countries such as Greece, and residents of the Greek island of Crete are up in arms claiming the process will cause serious pollution, environmental degradation and severe threats to public health.

Moreover, an international petition against the dumping of the Syrian chemicals in the Mediterranean has already been set up in the petition website avaaz.org.

The process

Syria agreed to destroy its arsenal of chemical weapons in a deal brokered by the US and Russia in 2013.

It followed international outrage when rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired at three towns around the Syrian capital, Damascus, on 21 August.

Hundreds of people were killed in the attacks and while Western powers held Syrian government forces responsible, President Bashar al-Assad blamed rebel fighters for the deadly attacks.

Under a timetable established by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which is collaborating with the United Nations in a joint mission to oversee the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons under a Security Council resolution the entire stockpile must be destroyed by mid-2014.

According to the timetable, the Syrian authorities are responsible for packing and safely transporting the chemical weapons from 12 sites across the country to the port of Latakia.

While Russia has supplied large-capacity and armoured lorries, the US has sent container drums and GPS locators. Russia will also provide security for loading operations at Latakia, for which the US has supplied loading, transportation and decontamination equipment. China has sent 10 ambulances and surveillance cameras, and Finland sent an emergency response team in case of accidents.

Denmark and Norway provided cargo ships and military escorts to take the chemicals to a port in Italy. Russian and China will provide further naval escorts.

In Italy, the "most critical" chemical agents will be loaded onto the US Maritime Administration cargo ship, MV Cape Ray, to be destroyed by hydrolysis in international waters. Less toxic chemicals will be shipped by Norwegian and Danish vessels for disposal at commercial facilities.

The Italian government has announced that the port of Gioia Tauro in Calabria will be the site of a transfer the chemical weapons, prompting concern from the town's mayor who said, "They are putting my life in jeopardy. If something happens the people will come after me with a pitchfork".

Italian transport minister Maurizio Lupi said the southern port had been chosen as the place where 60 containers of deadly toxins would be transferred from a Danish ship to a US vessel.

However, he reassured that none of the containers would be brought to shore and the operation would be carried out in "absolutely secure conditions".

The first consignment of toxic chemicals left Syria on a Danish ship early this week. A first load of the materials is being stored on board the Danish ship Arc Futura in international waters.

Once transferred to the US navy ship, crew members will begin the daunting task of neutralising the weapons with a system that heats the chemicals and mixes them with water or sodium hydroxide to degrade them.

The entire process, which officials said they hoped would begin within the next two weeks, would take roughly 90 days to complete, allowing for weather and other factors.