UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on July 23 lashed out at Syria for its threat to use chemical weapons, calling such considerations "reprehensible."
"It would be reprehensible if anybody in Syria is contemplating use of such weapons of mass destruction, like chemical weapons," Ban said, urging the international community to remain alert in order to prevent such an act, dpa reported.
Ban said the head of UN peacekeeping operations, Herve Ladsous, would leave New York for Damascus on Monday with General Babacar Gaye, who will replace General Robert Mood as head of the unarmed military observers in Syria. The observer mission was given a 30-day extension on Friday.
"I will emphasize again, I'm urging again, all the parties - all the Syrian government forces and opposition forces - they must stop fighting ... because the Syrian people have suffered for too long," Ban said.