09.09 Russia, Syria Back Call for Internat�l Control of Syrian Chemical Weapons

MOSCOW, September 9 (RIA Novosti) � Russia on Monday threw its backing behind a proposal that Syria�s chemical weapons be put under international control, leading Damascus to say it �welcomes the � initiative� if it would indeed help prevent a US strike on the war-torn country � a suggestion floated by Washington earlier in the day.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow that �if putting chemical weapons in that country [Syria] under international control would prevent strikes, we�re immediately beginning to work with Damascus,� and that a proposal had already been passed on to Syria�s Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. Lavrov and Muallem had met earlier on Monday, though it was not clear when or whether they discussed the proposal.

Muallem, in turn, said that Syria �welcomes the Russian initiative� and is �confident in the wisdom of the Russian leadership, which is trying to prevent American aggression against our people,� according to a Russian translation of the Arabic.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington could refrain from attacking Syria if Damascus turns over "every single bit" of its chemical weapons to the international community within a week.