Kerry: Syrian chemical weapon sites known, being secured
Ahead of series of international meetings, US secretary of state says he hopes Syria’s stockpile will be rapidly gathered and shipped out of region
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WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that he hopes the Syrian government’s chemical weapons will be rapidly consolidated into one location, put on a ship and removed from the region.
Kerry said in an interview with National Public Radio that the locations of the weapons have been declared and are being secured.
On Tuesday, Kerry will meet in London with ministers of 10 other nations who back the opposition in Syria and are trying to hold an international conference in Geneva to set up a transition government and end the bloody civil war in Syria, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
He also will be meeting in London with opposition leaders. The main alliance of political opposition groups has said it will only negotiate if it is agreed from the start that Syrian President Bashar Assad will leave power at the end of a transition period.
On Monday, Kerry will be in Paris to meet with representatives of the Arab League and update them on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and see Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal.
After London, Kerry will travel to Rome to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
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