Syria chemical arms inquiry must be representative: FM

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday that the composition of a UN group to be assembled to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria must be fully representative.

Spokesman Hong Lei's remark came after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Monday that the group "must, without fail, include representatives of the five permanent UN Security Council members, including Russian and Chinese chemical specialists."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the inquiry on Thursday. Both Syria's government and its opposition have accused the other of firing a missile laded with chemical weapons near the city of Aleppo.

By endorsing the purposes and principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention, China has always stood for the complete prohibition and destruction for weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, Hong said.

"China opposes any use of chemical weapons," Hong said, adding that the investigatory group's activities will require support and cooperation from all parties in Syria.