Syria Backs Russian Proposal For Regime To Hand Over Chemical Weapons

[Purveyor]

By Patrick J. McDonnell
September 9, 2013, 10:52 a.m.

BEIRUT — The Syrian government said Monday that it backed a Russian proposal calling for Damascus to hand over its arsenal of chemical weapons to international authorities in a bid to avoid a U.S. attack.

“We, for the sake of protecting our people and children and country and due to our trust in the Russian efforts, will cooperate fully with Russia in this regard so as to take away the excuses of this aggression,” Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said in a statement.

Russia has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

--CLIP
At the United Nations, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon reacted positively to the Russian initiative.

"I welcome these ideas," Ban told reporters.

The U.N. chief said he was also "considering urging the Security Council to demand the immediate transfer of Syria’s chemical weapons and chemical precursor stocks to places inside Syria where they can be safely stored and destroyed."

MORE...

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-syria-russia-chemical-weapons-20130909,0,3744754.story

[David__77]

1. These are positive developments.

Regardless of what, if anything, they directly lead to... Syria can maintain its sovereignty within this framework, and Russia can play a positive role to facilitate a political solution. Personally, I would be hopeful that the question of these weapons can be tied to the Geneva framework.