United Nations, May 4 (AP) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says Syria's failure to answer questions from the international chemical weapons watchdog about its chemical weapons program "remains a source of very deep concern."

He says the Syrian government partially addressed some questions raised by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons but "other questions regrettably remain unanswered."

In a letter circulated today transmitting the OPCW's latest report to the Security Council, Guterres said "profoundly alarming allegations" of chemical weapons use in the Damascus suburb of Douma on April 7 underline the need for a new body to determine responsibility for chemical attacks.

Russia vetoed a Western-backed resolution in November that would have renewed the joint UN-OPCW body assessing blame for chemical attacks.

Guterres said impunity and the absence of accountability "are escalating the conflict." (AP) MRJ

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