Russia has asked Syria to put its chemical weapons stockpile under "international control" in a bid to avoid US military strikes, and then have them destroyed. Mr Muallem, Syria, said he welcomed the initiative.

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Заявление Министра иностранных дел России С.В.Лаврова для СМИ в связи с ситуацией вокруг сирийского химоружия, Москва, 9 сентября 2013 года...


Сегодня в Москве мы провели переговоры с Министром иностранных дел Сирии В.Муаллемом. Уже после их завершения пришло известие о том, что Госсекретарь США Дж.Керри сделал заявление, согласно которому ударов по Сирии можно избежать, если Дамаск передаст все химическое оружие международному сообществу. Не знаем, согласятся ли на это в САР, но если установление международного контроля над химоружием в этой стране позволит избежать военных ударов, то мы немедленно включаемся в работу с Дамаском. Призываем сирийское руководство не только договориться о постановке мест хранения химического оружия под международный контроль, но и о его последующем уничтожении, а также о полноценном присоединении к Организации по запрещению химического оружия.
Мы уже передали это наше предложение Министру иностранных дел Сирии В.Муаллему, который находится в Москве. Рассчитываем на быстрый и позитивный ответ. 
http://www.mid.ru/brp_4.nsf/newsline/4B6CF9DF7225584344257BE1005104AF
9/9/13 
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• Russia has urged Syria to put its chemical weapons under international control for subsequent destruction to avert a possible military strike.

“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,” Lavrov said. “We have passed our offer to [Syrian Foreign Minister] Muallem and hope to receive a fast and positive answer,” he added.  It is unclear if Syria will support the offer, but if it helps to avoid a military strike, Russia is immediately prepared to work with Damascus, Lavrov said. The Foreign Minister’s statement comes shortly after US Secretary of State John Kerry’s comment that the Syrian President “could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community” to avoid a military strike on the country.

• Following Kerry’s statement, a US State Department spokeswoman clarified that “Secretary Kerry was making a rhetorical argument about the impossibility and unlikelihood of Assad turning over chemical weapons”.

"His (Kerry's) point was that this brutal dictator with a history of playing fast and loose with the facts cannot be trusted to turn over chemical weapons, otherwise he would have done so long ago. That's why the world faces this moment," the spokeswoman said. The Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said that Damascus was ready for "full cooperation with Russia to remove any pretext for aggression." The Russian and Syrian Foreign Ministers met in Moscow on Monday.
 http://rt.com/news/lavrov-syria-chemical-weapons-handover-615/ 9/9/13 
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• Russia has asked Syria to put its chemical weapons stockpile under "international control" in a bid to avoid US military strikes, and then have them destroyed....

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the offer was made during talks with his Syrian counterpart, Walid Muallem.

Mr Muallem said he welcomed the initiative.

The US is threatening strikes accusing the Syrian regime of war crimes, though Damascus denies the claims.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in Europe to garner support for the military action, has once again warned that taking no action is riskier than launching strikes.

When asked at a news conference whether there was anything Mr Assad could do to avoid military action, Mr Kerry replied that he could hand over his entire stockpile of chemical weapons within the next week.

US officials later clarified that Mr Kerry was making a "rhetorical argument" rather than a serious offer.

However, Mr Lavrov later called on Syria to "place the chemical weapons under international control and then have them destroyed".

He said the offer had been made to Mr Muallem during talks in Moscow.

Mr Muallem, who said he welcomed the proposal, is now tasked with communicating the plan to Syria's leaders.....http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24022866
9/9/13

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