Two senior UN inspectors have arrived in Syria to investigate claims that chemical weapons were used in the country's civil war.
The inspectors will hold talks with officials in Damascus on July 24.
They are likely to first negotiate access to regions of the country where chemical weapons were allegedly used.
The UN team includes Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom, who is the head of a UN chemical-weapons investigation, and Angela Kane, the UN high representative for disarmament.
The visit comes after the United Nations accepted an invitation from the Syrian government to send officials for a chemical-weapons probe.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels fighting against him have accused each other of using chemical weapons.
More than 90,000 people have been killed in the 28-month-old conflict.
The inspectors will hold talks with officials in Damascus on July 24.
They are likely to first negotiate access to regions of the country where chemical weapons were allegedly used.
The UN team includes Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom, who is the head of a UN chemical-weapons investigation, and Angela Kane, the UN high representative for disarmament.
The visit comes after the United Nations accepted an invitation from the Syrian government to send officials for a chemical-weapons probe.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels fighting against him have accused each other of using chemical weapons.
More than 90,000 people have been killed in the 28-month-old conflict.