Dangerous chemical arms to be removed by March 1: envoy

Moscow: Syria's ambassador to Russia said on Tuesday that the most dangerous elements of President Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons stockpile will be removed from the country by March 1, the Interfax news agency reported.

"A large part of the chemical weapons, the most dangerous stocks, will be taken out of the country by March 1," Interfax quoted Syrian ambassador Riad Haddad as saying.

Syria had missed a December 31 deadline to remove the most poisonous chemical agents under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. Damascus has also missed a deadline to give up its entire stockpile by February 5.