Syria is denying access to a UN inspection team waiting to undertake a chemical weapons probe, which the government had itself requested.
State-run media announced that Syria was blocking attempts by the UN to 'broaden' the probe to cover the whole country.
The UN's Ban Ki-moon said that all claims of chemical weapon usage from all sides should be investigated, declaring:
"The use of chemical weapons by any side, under any circumstances, would constitute an outrageous crime with dire consequences,"
A Syrian Ministry official is however reported to have said:
"Syria can not accept such manoeuvres on the part of the UN secretariat general, bearing in mind the negative role that it played in Iraq and which cleared the way to the American invasion."
The Syrian government formally requested the probe into allegations that the opposition had used chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal on March 19th. The opposition accuse government forces of deploying the munitions.
