DHAKA: US Secretary of State John Kerry has asked Russia to press its ally Syria into speeding up the removal of chemical weapons.

The US says only about 4% of chemical weapons declared by the Syrian government have so far been removed.

Kerry raised the issue with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, officials said, reports the BBC.

Syria’s chemical weapons are due to be removed and destroyed by 30 June.

Under the terms of the UN-backed plan, Syrian authorities are responsible for packing and safely transporting the chemical weapons to the Mediterranean port of Latakia.

BDST: 1220 HRS, FEB 01, 2014