Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Swiss authorities approved export of potential sarin ingredient to Syria

by

VIENNA Apr 24, 2018 - 12:00 am GMT+3
Girls who survived from what activists say is a gas attack rest inside a mosque in the Duma neighborhood of Damascus, Aug. 21, 2013. (Reuters Photo)
Girls who survived from what activists say is a gas attack rest inside a mosque in the Duma neighborhood of Damascus, Aug. 21, 2013. (Reuters Photo)
by Apr 24, 2018 12:00 am

A chemical that can be used to make the nerve agent sarin was exported from Switzerland to Syria with the approval of Swiss authorities, the economic affairs department in Bern acknowledged Tuesday.

The shipment of the chemical isopropanol to a private Syrian pharmaceutical firm seemed plausible at the time of the approval in June 2014, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) told Swiss news agency sda, confirming a report by French-speaking public broadcaster RTS.

SECO added that it has since changed its position.

"Following the latest events related to reported chemical weapons use, and the massive deterioration of the situation in recent years, such an export would most likely be halted," it said.

Isopropanol, which is freely available in Europe and often used as a solvent, can also be used to manufacture sarin, a nerve agent which has killed more than 100 people in the Syrian war.

In May 2014, a joint mission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations confirmed that all of Syria's state-owned stocks of the chemical had been destroyed.

However, the international treaty that bans chemical weapons does not ban isopropanol, RTS reported. Stocks held by Syria's pharmaceutical industry were not covered by the treaty and were not destroyed, according to SECO.

Exports of the same chemical from Belgium have triggered an investigation into possible illegal foreign sales against three companies, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said last week.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Apr 25, 2018 12:01 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    homepage
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: Migration flows at the US-Mexico border increasing
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021