UN chemical weapons team to be based in Cyprus

The government of Cyprus has agreed to establish a base in a disused airport for the UN chemical weapons inspectors working in Syria. The base will allow them easy movement between the two countries. The request for the facility was made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon earlier this month.

The Cypriot authorities said that the intention is to assist what they describe as a very “difficult” operation to dismantle Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons. The base is just 225km from Lattakia in Syria.