Chinese frigate on Syrian chemicals removal mission arrives in Cyprus

A Chinese navy frigate arrived in the Cypriot port of Limassol on Saturday at the start of its mission to provide security support to the operation for removing Syria's chemical weapons. The frigate Yancheng was welcomed by Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Liu Xinsheng and Cypriot Defence Minister Fotis Fotiou when it anchored in the southern Cypriot port. The Chinese ambassador said Yancheng's arrival in Cyprus for the escort mission of removing Syrian chemical weapons showed the Chinese government's support to the effort of the United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Fotiou said the government of Cyprus will support and give all facilities to all countries involved in the operation of removing chemical weapons out of Syria for destruction. "I hope that operation will finish successfully very soon," he said. In accordance with the decision of the OPCW on the removal of Syrian chemical weapons and the UN Security Council Resolution 2118 in September 2013, the chemical weapons will be transported out of Syria and be delivered to an American vessel for destruction. Vessels from China, Russia, Denmark and Norway will escort the transportation of the chemical weapons.