AFP: BEIRUT: Syria's main opposition group denounced as a "political manoeuvre" a Russian plan to head off threatened punitive US airstrikes on Syria by destroying the regime's chemical weapons. "The proposal of (Russian Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov is a political manoeuvre and is part of useless procrastination that will only result in more deaths and destruction for the Syrian people," said an opposition statement published late Monday.
France
AP: PARIS: France's top diplomat is trumpeting Western pressure for leading to a "turnaround" in Russia's position about chemical weapons in Syria. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius expressed France's "interest and caution" about a proposal backed by Moscow for the chemical weapons arsenals held its ally Syria to be placed under international control and destroyed. On Europe-1 radio Tuesday, Fabius said Russia had "changed - very good!" He attributed this to Western pressure and "overwhelming evidence" of a chemical weapons attack in Syria. The United States and France have threatened military action after the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds Fabius also warned that finding and destroying "more than 1,000 tons of chemical weapons" would be very difficult and require international verification amid Syria's civil war.
Kerry tells Russia his Syria comments were not meant as a proposal
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov his comments about Syria averting a U.S. military strike by turning over its chemical weapons within a week were rhetorical and not meant to be a proposal, a senior U.S. Official said on Monday. Kerry also voiced "serious skepticism" when Lavrov offered to explore the idea, saying that the United States would take a look at any serious proposal, but this could not be a reason to slow the White House's efforts to secure congressional authorization to use force against Syria, the official told reporters traveling back from London with Kerry.
China welcomes Russia's proposal for Syria weapons handover
REUTERS: BEIJING: China said on Tuesday that it welcomes and supports Russia's proposal that Syria hand over its chemical weapons for destruction, which could avert planned U.S. military strikes.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the comments at a regular news briefing, adding that a Syrian opposition delegation was visiting China from Tuesday.
U.S. President Barack Obama has argued that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, fighting to continue his family's four-decade rule, must be punished for what Washington says was a poison gas attack on rebel areas that killed over 1,400 people on Aug. 21.
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