MOSCOW, June 3: Russia has destroyed more than a quarter of its chemical weapons stocks in line with international treaties, a top disarmament official was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on Tuesday.

“We have destroyed 10,500 tonnes of toxic substances. There is no doubt that with regular financing we can fulfil all our engagements,” said Valery Kapashin, head of the state agency charged with destroying chemical weapons.

Russia previously had reported having 40,000 tonnes of chemical weapons.

Russia and the United States have enormous stocks of chemical weapons from the Cold War era that they have undertaken to destroy entirely by 2012 under the 1997 Convention on Chemical Weapons.

Russia is expected to destroy another 18,000 tonnes by December 2009.—AFP