Reuters is reporting that the Syrian Government and the UN have reached an agreement about UN chemical weapons experts who are already in Syria going to the sites east of Damascus where a chemical weapon attack took place last Wednesday.
The agreement was reached in discussions this morning between Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem and U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane, who arrived in Damascus yesterday with a request for the inspection from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Syria has agreed to allow U.N. inspectors access to sites in suburbs of Damascus where alleged chemical attacks occurred last week, the Syria Foreign Ministry said in a statement broadcast on state television.
"The Syrian government and the United Nations agreed on a common understanding ... to allow the United Nations to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use in the Damascus suburbs on Aug 22, 2013," the statement said, giving the wrong date for the mass poisoning, which took place on Aug 21.
http://www.reuters.com/...
UPDATE: The UN has announced that inspections will begin tomorrow.
New York, 25 August 2013 - Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria
On 24 and 25 August, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Angela Kane met with senior officials of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic. The purpose of her visit was to seek cooperation of the Government in facilitating an expeditious investigation of the incident in the Ghouta area on 21 August involving the alleged use of chemical weapons.
The Secretary-General has instructed the Mission under Dr. Sellström, currently in Damascus, to focus its attention on ascertaining the facts of the 21 August incident as its highest priority. The Mission is preparing to conduct on-site fact-finding activities, starting tomorrow, Monday, 26 August.
The Secretary-General notes the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic affirmed that it will provide the necessary cooperation, including the observance of the cessation of hostilities at the locations related to the incident.
The Secretary-General remains grateful for the cooperation and dedication of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon and the World Health Organization, as well as for the commitment of their staff assigned to the Mission.
The Secretary-General would like to reiterate that all relevant parties equally share the responsibility of cooperating in urgently generating a safe environment for the Mission to do its job efficiently and providing all necessary information.
http://www.un.org/...