'Syria's chemical weapons are secure'

Russia says it will not host Assad, but other countries' offer welcome

Syria's chemical weapons are still secure despite the fact that President Bashar al-Assad has lost control of parts of the country, a senior Israeli defense official said on Sunday.

Amos Gilad told Army Radio that the civil war between Assad and opposition forces fighting to topple him had become deadlocked, but the Syrian leader showed no signs of heeding international calls to step down.