LIMASSOL, Cyprus — Danish and Norwegian ships can safely ferry up to 500 tons of Syria's most dangerous chemical weapons out of the strife-torn country, a Danish chemical expert said Saturday.
Bjoern Schmidt said sealed containers full of chemical compounds, which when mixed can create lethal Sarin and VX gases, will be loaded at opposite ends of the two cargo ships. The exact quantity of chemicals to be taken out of Syria is unknown, Schmidt said.
Commander Henrik Holck Rasmussen, of Danish frigate HDMS Esbern Snare, said two cargo ships will go to Syria as many times as needed to pick up all chemical weapons.
The Danish warship and Norwegian frigate HNOMS Helge Ingstad will act as escorts.
Both are docked in Cyprus along with the Danish cargo ship Ark Futura. The second cargo ship, which Norwegian shipper Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA identified as the MV Taiko, hasn't arrived yet.
The joint UN-Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons team in Syria aims to remove most chemical weapons from Syria by the end of the year for destruction at sea and destroy the entire program by mid-2014. The unprecedented disarmament in the midst of a civil war was launched after an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack on a Damascus suburb that killed hundreds of civilians.
The United States and Western allies accused the Syrian government of being responsible for that attack, while Damascus blames the rebels. Syria has agreed to dismantle its chemical arsenal to ward off possible US military strikes.
Schmidt said according to plan by the OPCW which is in charge of the entire operation, the cargo ships will take the chemicals to the harbor of an as yet unidentified country where the most dangerous chemicals will be transferred onto American ship MV Cape Ray.
The ship is equipped with technology that can largely neutralize the chemicals. The process will take place at sea and the mostly inert chemicals will receive additional treatment at another facility.
Schmidt said the transfer can take place at sea, but that would mean additional risks given weather conditions and rough seas.
''I think the safest thing is to go into a harbor,'' Schmidt said.
Croatia has said that it would consider providing one of its ports for the transfer of the chemicals as long as there's no public opposition.
Meanwhile, the United Nations' humanitarian chief briefly visited Syria Saturday, where she discussed with officials ways of improving winter conditions for millions of people displaced by the country's civil war as a harsh snow storm struck the region.
Valerie Amos said her trip to Syria from Lebanon was delayed because of the storm, which has worsened the misery of Syrian refugees, many of whom are living in tents without heating.
''I have also just been in Lebanon and was able there to talk to the [UN] team about the programs we have been putting in place to help people through the winter,'' Amos said in brief remarks in the Syrian capital. ''Winter is extremely harsh as you can see. I was delayed on my own trip over here.''
Amos met with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, his deputy Faysal Mikdad, and Minister of Social Affairs Kinda Shammat before she headed to Lebanon in the afternoon.
Danish Commodore Torben Mikkelsen, who is commanding the joint Danish-Norwegian chemical weapons transport operation, said it's unlikely the cargo ships would take any chemical weapons aboard until a harbor is found where they can be transferred onto the American ship.
''If there's no country willing to take the cargo or willing to participate with the transload, we're not going to take the stuff aboard,'' said Mikkelsen. ''We need to know the transload or the disembarkation harbor. Then we're ready to go.''
The containers will be inspected and sealed by OPCW officials and Syrian authorities at Latakia port. Each will be equipped with antihandling and GPS tracking devices. Norwegian and Danish officials will scan the containers once they are aboard the cargo ships using a mobile container scanner, Mikkelsen said.