Syria Welcomes International Control Over Its Chemical Weapons -- Times of Israel
After meeting Syrian counterpart, Russian foreign minister says he’ll push Assad to give up WMDs to avoid airstrikes; Kerry: Attack can be averted if Damascus agrees to cede ‘every single bit’ of its chemical arsenal by week’s end
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem on Monday said his country welcomed a proposal by Moscow to submit Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles to international control.
The surprise announcement came following a meeting in Moscow between Moallem and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and just hours after US Secretary of State John Kerry said such a move — which Kerry made plain he considered highly improbable — could avert a limited US strike on the country in retaliation for a lethal August 21 chemical weapons attack.
“Syria welcomes the Russian proposal out of concern for the lives of the Syrian people, the security of our country and because it believes in the wisdom of the Russian leadership that seeks to avert American aggression against our people,” Moallem said.
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Update #1: Time for Plan B? US lawmakers, Russia push alternative to Syria strike -- FOX News
Update #2: Syria welcomes U.S.-Russian push to put chemical weapons under international control -- AP
My Comment: What is my take on today's fast moving developments .... after John Kerry's comments this morning that Syria had a week to hand over chemical weapons or face attack .... followed quickly by a US Government denial that such an offer was made .... the Russians got involved and it appears were successful in pressuring the Syrian government to give up it's chemical weapons and to accept the Kerry "non-plan".
What has further complicated the U.S. effort is that John Kerry’s offhand proposal on Syria's chemical arms has also been welcomed by the UN, key U.S. allies, some Republicans, Russia, and more importantly .... Syria. In short .... this US offer (or non-offer) has now been interpreted as a US offer to the Syrian President for a way out.
This is my prediction .... the U.S. will take a "hard look" at Russia's proposal for Syria to put chemical weapons under international control .... but with little (if any) support for U.S. military action in the U.S. public .... the White House may be moved to eventually accept such a proposal if the UN is capable of fulfilling such a mandate. Bottom line .... this week is going to be critical week for U.S. - Russian - Syrian - UN diplomacy.
In the meantime .... the Syrian civil war grinds on.
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