The UN Security Council is reportedly scheduled to vote on whether to extend investigations into who is responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria.
Members of the council will vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution on renewing the council-mandated Joint Investigative Mechanism and a fact-finding mission by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for another year, the What's In Blue website reported.
The OPCW examines whether chemical weapons have been used but it is up to the JIM to determine responsibility for any attacks.
Although broadly supported by members of the council, Russia has argued that the vote should not be held until Thursday when the JIM report on who was responsible for the chemical weapons attack in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun is released, What's In Blue reported.
Russia is also critical of the methodologies of both investigations.
More than 80 people were killed in the sarin gas attack on April 4 in the rebel-held town, which UN rights investigators conducting a separate probe say was conducted by Syria's air force.
In 2013, the Security Council passed a resolution requiring Syria to get rid of its chemical weapons stockpile and end such attacks.
After the resolution, Syria also joined the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty banning the use of chemical weapons.
A member of UN investigation team taking samples of sands near a part of a missile is likely to be one of the chemical rockets in Damascus in 2013 (AAP) Source: AAP
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