Syria chemical weapons inspections 'to begin next week'

Experts from the world's chemical weapons watchdog will begin inspecting Syria's stockpile by Tuesday, a draft agreement says.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) would also reportedly be authorised to investigate sites not declared by Damascus.

The text is due to be voted on at a meeting in The Hague later on Friday.

It will then be incorporated into a UN Security Council resolution calling on Syria to give up its chemical weapons.

The resolution will condemn the use of chemical weapons in an attack on the outskirts of Damascus last month which killed hundreds of people, but will not attribute blame.

If Syria fails to comply, a second resolution would be required to impose measures under Chapter VII of the UN charter, including the use of force