Lavrov warns of chemical weapons threat.
Foreign Minister: Lavrov.
In a meeting at a disarmament gathering at the UN offices in Geneva Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned of the possibility of groups like Islamic State and Al - Qaeda related groups using chemical weapons outside Syria.
It is known that the Islamic State and other extremists have used such weapons in the civil war in Syria and Lavrov called for a global meeting of minds between nations and all interested parties to combat this chemical threat.
He also warned that there was evidence to suggest that IS and other groups in Libya and Yemen were either using or have used such weapons in on going combat. As a point of reference the US the other week bombed an Islamic State training base where it was reckoned they were training for an operation outside of Libya but the question has to be asked where and were they going to use chemical weapons if at all.
Lavrov then met Ban Ki - Moon UN General Secretary to discuss the ceasefire that is just about holding in Syria and both agreed that all warring parties should return to the negotiating table post haste. Mean while the war on Islamic State and the Al - Nusra Front continues as they are not allowed to participate in the peace talks or cease fire perhaps even if they wanted to but given their hatred of everything the West stands for it would be unlikely in my opinion.
Lavrov would also like the Syrian - Turkish border closed as he says aid coming from the Turkish side is really in some cases weapons being handed over to the Islamic State and Nusra Front.
Meanwhile in Raqqa news has come through that children living in the de - facto Islamic State capital are playing with headless teddies and other cuddly toys. If true this is a sickening development and a macabre thing to do to children.
Speaking on German television meanwhile Bashar Assad President of Syria or at least the part of Syria he controls said he thought the ceasefire was a glimmer of hope.
It is very important that a ceasefire holds and peace talks can begin for the sake of the Syrian people if nothing else.
