Russia, US agree on how Syria should eliminate chemical arms

Russia and the United States agree on how to eliminate chemical weapons in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry.

"We have a common understanding of what needs to be done and how. I am very glad that President (Barack) Obama is occupying this position (on chemical arms)," Putin said at the end of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on the Indonesian island of Bali.

International experts charged with starting the process of verifying and eliminating chemical weapons arrived in Syria earlier this month. Russia, Syria's long-time ally and arms supplier, has offered to assist with the demolition process.

Putin said he believed experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons would be able to accomplish their goal of ridding Syria of its chemical arms within a year.

"We and the Americans, the whole international community trust them. If they are saying it is possible to do this (eliminate Syria's chemical arms) in one year, then that's the way it is."

The team of experts, supported by the United Nations, aim to oversee destruction of Syria's chemical weapons production and mixing equipment by Nov 1, and deal with all chemical weapons materials by the end of June 2014.

Putin praised Syria for its cooperation on the plan to destroy its chemical arsenal, a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington last month alongside a possibility of US military strikes against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.

"The doubts regarding the readiness of the Syrian leadership to adequately respond to the decisions on chemical weapons proved to be unjustified," he said. "Syria has joined these efforts actively, is acting very transparently ... and I hope this work will continue further at the same pace and in the same direction."

Putin added that Moscow would welcome large Muslim nations such as Indonesia joining Syria peace talks that the United States and Russia hope will take place in Geneva in mid-November.

"We believe it is possible to expand the number of (conference) participants by including big Muslim states like Indonesia," Putin said. "In my opinion, it would be quite natural and we'd welcome it," he said.

However, Washington said on Monday its position that Assad must step down has not changed, as Kerry said in Indonesia that he was "appreciative for" the Russian cooperation and obviously for the Syrian compliance with the UN resolution by starting to destroy its chemical weapons.

Reuters-AFP-Xinhua

(China Daily 10/09/2013 page12)