UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday he has again asked Syrian President Bashir al-Assad to refrain from any possible use of chemical weapons, warning such an action would be "an outrageous crime with dire consequences", dpa reported.
Ban said he recently sent a letter to al-Assad asking him not to use chemical weapons "under any circumstances and underscoring the fundamental responsibility of the Syrian government to ensure the safety and security of any such stockpiles."
He asked the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to monitor closely the situation in Syria.