Syrian Chemical Weapons Deadlines May Be Missed

The leader of the agency overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons warned Monday that the deadlines for removing the chemicals from Syria might be missed, adding a new wrinkle to the delicate process.

The most lethal weapons, including mustard gas and components of sarin and VX, are to be removed by Dec. 31, but "it will be quite difficult to meet this timeline," said Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

The remaining stockpile of less-dangerous chemicals are to be shipped out of Syria by Feb. 5, according to an OPCW schedule set under a U.S.-Russia agreement. "This is also quite an ambitious timeline; we don't know if we can meet it," Mr. Uzumcu said. "There might be a few days' delay."

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