Libya ships last chemical weapons stocks out of countryAugust 30, 2016 - 15:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Libya has shipped the last of its chemical weapons stocks out of the country on a Danish vessel, under a UN-backed plan to eliminate the arsenal, officials said Tuesday, August 30, according to AFP. A senior security official told AFP the stocks were shipped to Germany on Saturday from the port of Misrata under the supervision of the United Nations. The deputy prime minister of Libya's Government of National Accord, Mussa el-Koni, confirmed the operation, saying: "All of Libya's chemical arsenal has been shipped out of the country." The Danish government had earlier this month offered to send a container vessel, support ship and 200 staff to handle the operation, coordinated by the UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The UN Security Council on July 22 endorsed plans to remove Libya's chemical weapons from the country and prevent them from falling into the hands of extremists like the Islamic State group. The security official said 23 tanks of chemicals were shipped out under the operation. The weapons had been stored in the central Jafa area, about 200 kilometres south of Sirte, where pro-GNA forces are battling IS jihadists, he said. "We as Libyans did not want these weapons, especially during the current security situation and with the presence of IS in the region," the security official said. Libya joined the UN convention on eliminating chemical weapons in 2004. At the time it declared 24.7 tonnes of mustard gas, 1,390 tonnes of precursor chemicals and more than 3,500 aerial bombs containing chemical weapons. It had eliminated all the aerial bombs, 51 percent of the mustard gas and 40 percent of the precursor chemicals by 2011, when operations to destroy the arsenal were interrupted by the uprising against Moamer Kadhafi, according to the OPCW. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Erdogan wants “realistic road map” for relations with Armenia Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a “new realistic road map” for relations with Armenia. Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements. Yerevan says did not expect CSTO in peacekeeping role Pashinyan has declared that the CSTO would be expected to come to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as an ally of Armenia Henrikh Mkhitaryan wins Serie A title with Inter Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan admits that the team have long been imagining clinching Serie A against AC Milan. |