The Foreign Ministry insisted yesterday that none of the chemical weapons being removed from Syria would end up in the Mediterranean or off the Maltese coast.

While the first consignment of chemical weapons was taken out of Syria a few days ago on its way to Italy for treatment and disposal, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry said none of the toxic waste emanating from the weapons would be disposed in the sea around Malta.

“As far as is known, the toxic waste, if any, resulting from the hydrolysis (a chemical process) of the chemicals such as sarin, VX and mustard gas will not be dumped in the Mediterranean or in any other sea,” the spokeswoman said.

The Foreign Ministry said that, according to the terms of the operation being carried out under the auspices of the United Nations, the process of hydrolysis was to be conducted on the US navy ship Cape Ray, which was specially modified to be able to conduct destruction of the toxic chemicals.

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