These ships are part of the flotilla that's been waiting to remove chemical weapons from Syria.<br/> <br />On Tuesday, the United Nations announced the first batch of the most deadly toxins -- nine containers in all -- was moved out of the country for destruction.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) FARHAN HAQ, ACTING DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL, SAYING:<br/> <br />"An initial quantity of priority chemical materials was moved from two sites to the port of Lattakia in Syria for verification and was then loaded onto a Danish cargo ship... This movement initiates the process of transfer of chemical materials from Syria to locations outside its territory for destruction."<br/> <br />Their transfer comes two weeks before planned peace talks in Geneva over Syria's 21/2 year long civil war.<br/> <br />Also on Tuesday, Syria's Information Minister said Damascus insisted that any agreement allows President Bashar al-Assad to remain in power.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN INFORMATION MINISTER, OMRAN ZOABI
