the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
insisted Monday that U.N. experts be granted unrestricted access to Syrian sites under investigation for chemical weapons use as they began their mission.
Ban added that "the government and all other entities within Syria must ensure the safety and security of the mission."
He said Sherlocks will collect samples as well as conduct interviews and examine witnesses, victims, and attending medical personnel.
The team will also conduct post-mortem examinations.
Ban emphasized that the mission would not determine who used chemical weapons but only whether chemical weapons were used. He said he hoped findings would help deter use in the future.
"In order to credibly establish the facts, the mission must have full access to the sites of the alleged incidents," he said.