Russia to push Syria to surrender chemical weapons

[ProSense]

Russia to push Syria to surrender chemical weapons

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

MOSCOW (AP) — In a surprise move, Russia promised Monday to push its ally Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control and then dismantle them quickly to avert U.S. strikes.

The announcement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came a few hours after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Syrian President Bashar Assad could resolve the crisis surrounding the alleged use of chemical weapons by his forces by surrendering control of "every single bit" of his arsenal to the international community by the end of the week.

Kerry added that he thought Assad "isn't about to do it," but Lavrov, who just wrapped a round of talks in Moscow with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem, said that Moscow would try to convince the Syrians.

"If the establishment of international control over chemical weapons in that country would allow avoiding strikes, we will immediately start working with Damascus," Lavrov said.

"We are calling on the Syrian leadership to not only agree on placing chemical weapons storage sites under international control, but also on its subsequent destruction and fully joining the treaty on prohibition of chemical weapons," he said.

- more -

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/russia-syria-push-un-chemical-experts-return

[MoonRiver]

1. Per MSNBC, White House thinks this is just a delaying tactic.

Guess Obama really, really, really wants to bomb Syria!

[Junkdrawer]

3. Didn't Kerry just offer Assad the same out?

[MoonRiver]

4. Yeah, that sounds familiar!

Well, if both Kerry and Putin agree there may be hope!

[G_j]

2. fingers crossed

hoping this is sincere.

[ProSense]

5. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. n/t

[Junkdrawer]

6. Nooooooooo.....Looks like the State Department is already walking back Kerry's offer.

...

The State Department was forced to clarify the remarks, calling them "rhetorical" and making clear its desire to strike could be tempered by a Syrian offer. Kerry's point, according to spokeswoman Jen Psaki, "was that this brutal dictator with a history of playing fast and loose with the facts cannot be trusted to turn over chemical weapons."

...

http://gma.yahoo.com/did-us-offer-syrian-president-125806202--abc-news-topstories.html

[ProSense]

7. Doesn't matter. Russia is going to have to follow through. n/t

[Junkdrawer]

9. Ball is in Assad's court....

Kerry has "offered" (rhetorically????) and Russia is requesting Assad accept.

If Assad says "yes" and the Admin. rejects......

[ProSense]

11. Yes, and

he has to act "quickly."

In a surprise move, Russia promised Monday to push its ally Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control and then dismantle them quickly to avert U.S. strikes.

<...>

"We are calling on the Syrian leadership to not only agree on placing chemical weapons storage sites under international control, but also on its subsequent destruction and fully joining the treaty on prohibition of chemical weapons," he said.

[Junkdrawer]

13. Syria Accepted. Ball's now in Kerry/Obama's court....

Syria welcomes Russia’s offer to put its chemical weapons under intl control

Damascus welcomes Russia’s call to hand control over its chemical weapons to the international community, the Syrian Foreign Minister said responding to Sergey Lavrov's statement after the two met in the Russian capital.

“Syria Arab Republic welcomes Russia’s initiative, based on the Syrian’s government care about the lives of our people and security of our country,” Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said in response to the statement by his Russian counterpart.


“We are calling on the Syrian authorities not only agree on putting chemical weapons storages under international control, but also for its further destruction and then joining the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons,” Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier.


The UN chief has called for measures to provide for the safe storage and destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal.

“I am sure that the international community will take quick measures to make sure that these chemical weapons reserves are stored in a safe place and are to be destroyed,” Ban Ki-moon said.

....

http://rt.com/news/syria-chemical-weapons-handover-619/

My neck is getting stiff watching this tennis match.

[ProSense]

14. Syria has to get on with it. We'll

see how it plays out.

UN Chief Urges Syria to Transfer Chemical Weapons

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging Syria to immediately agree to transfer chemical weapons and chemical precursors to a safe place within the country for international destruction.

Ban said Monday he will also propose to the Security Council that it unite and demand an immediate chemical weapons transfer should U.N. inspectors conclude that such weapons were used in an attack Aug. 21 in a suburb of Damascus.

He said he is also considering asking the council to demand accountability for an alleged chemical weapons attack.

Ban spoke shortly after Moscow's surprise announcement that it was pressing its ally Syria on a similar proposal — to move its chemical weapons to areas under international control to avoid a U.S. military strike.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/chief-urges-syria-transfer-chemical-weapons-20201282

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023629253

If Assad cooperates, it's good news.

[FarCenter]

8. Russia to Urge Syria to Put Chemical Weapons Under Internat'l Control

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130909/183309870/Russia-to-Urge-Syria-to-Put-Chemical-Weapons-Under-Internatl.html

[YvonneCa]

10. This is good. Nothing may come of it but...

...it offers a glimmer of hope. I'll always take a glimmer...

[Johonny]

12. It seems like the only viable end game solution for the US and Russia

I hope it happens.

[B2G]

15. Who's asking the rebels to give up their chem weapons?

Serious question.

[Junkdrawer]

16. Russia is asking for UN inspectors BACK to investigate the PREVIOUS uses of CW....

But, yeah, the big danger is another false flag attack while disarmament details are being worked out.