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Sergei Lavrov

DAMASCUS/CAIRO. — Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi stressed yesterday support for a Russian initiative to avoid possible US strike against Syria.  During a cabinet session yesterday, al-Halqi said the Syrian government is ready to co-operate with the international political initiatives that aim to defuse the war.
On Monday, Russia proposed an initiative on the Syrian crisis, stimulating to secure the chemical stockpiles of the Syrian government under international observation, an apparent attempt to cool down the tension.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country will push Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control if such a move would help avert a possible US strike against the Arab country.

Al-Halqi said the government’s support showed its will to protect civilians and national security, as well as to avoid war that could engulf the whole region. The prime minister, meanwhile, said that the Syrian people want to end the current crisis through national dialogue during the planned, yet delayed, international conference in Geneva.

Meanwhile, the Arab League will back a Russian plan to place Syria’s chemical weapons under international supervision for eventual destruction, its secretary-general said yesterday. Nabil al-Arabi told reporters in Cairo the League will “soon issue a statement announcing its support officially” for the Russian plan.

The pan-Arab body said it would hold crisis talks on Wednesday at the level of permanent delegates to discuss the initiative.
Moscow made the surprise proposal on Monday. It is aimed at averting punitive US strikes against the Damascus regime for its alleged use of chemical weapons.

“If you remember, I always insisted that (the Syrian conflict) needs a political solution,” Arabi said.
On September 1, the League urged the United Nations and the international community to take “deterrent” action against the Syrian regime over the alleged attacks near Damascus.

“The United Nations and the international community are called upon to assume their responsibilities in line with the UN Charter and international law by taking the necessary deterrent measures” following the suspected August 21 incident, Arab League foreign ministers said in a statement.

But they fell short of calling for military strikes as proposed by Washington, with several member countries opposed to foreign intervention in Syria.

The Arab League has suspended Syria as a member and replaced it with the main opposition coalition. Syria’s conflict has killed more than 110 000 people since it began in March 2011. — Xinhua-AFP.