Syria 'wants to join' Chemical Weapons Convention

Iran Press TV

Wed Sep 11, 2013 6:33AM GMT

Syria says it wants to join the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) following a Russian proposal for Damascus to place its chemical weapons arsenal under international control.

"We want to join the convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons. We are ready to observe our obligations in accordance with that convention, including providing all information about these weapons," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said on Tuesday.

"We are ready to declare the location of the chemical weapons, stop production of the chemical weapons, and show these (production) facilities to representatives of Russia and other United Nations member states," Muallem said.

Muallem said on Monday, September 9, that his country "welcomes" a Russian proposal to put its chemical weapons under international control. The Russian proposal was prompted by an apparently off-the-cuff comment by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Following Muallem's Monday remarks, US President Barack Obama, whose administration has been intensively campaigning for strikes on Syria, suggested that the planned strikes could be averted if the Syrian "gesture" is "real." He also asked Congress to delay a scheduled vote on the strikes on Syria.

Obama, who has faced very weak support for his war plans, had said on August 31 that his administration would first seek authorization from Congress.

Meanwhile, China and Iran have backed the Russian proposal to prevent foreign military intervention in Syria.

The recent war rhetoric against Syria first gained momentum on August 21, when the militants operating inside the Middle Eastern country and its foreign-backed opposition claimed that over a thousand people had been killed in a government chemical attack on suburban Damascus.

The Syrian government categorically rejected the accusation.

IA/PR/HJL