Meanwhile ...
http://live.reuters.com/Event/Syria_9
John Irish of Reuters reports: Russia’s ambassador to France said Moscow was ready to negotiate a U.N. resolution that foresees international control of Syria’s chemical weapons, but ruled out a recourse to use force to impose it.... Orlov said he had doubts over France’s intentions by calling for a Chapter VII resolution of the U.N. charter which could enable the use of force.
Also, from Thomas Grove of Reuters: Russia told France on Tuesday that a proposal to adopt a U.N. Security Council resolution holding the Syrian government responsible for the possible use of chemical weapons was unacceptable. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his French counterpart that Moscow would propose a U.N. draft declaration supporting its initiative to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Essentially, Russia seems to be seeking more say in the U.N. over the final form of the proposal being traced back today to conversations between Lavrov and John Kerry, perhaps owing to ongoing Syria tensions between Russia and France, the U.S. and other European UNSC members. Reuters U.N. bureau chief Lou Charbonneau reports on Twitter that Russia may be seeking less than a binding U.N. resolution. It remains to be seen how this will factor into U.S. and others’ evaluations of how viable and genuine the Syria proposal may be.
(same link)
This in from Rick Cowan (@rcowan) on Capitol Hill about the group of senators who are working to modify a congressional resolution authorizing US military force in Syria to include a strict timeline for Syria to turn over chemical weapons. A source familiar with the negotiations says the senators involved in the negotiations include John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Kelly Ayotte, Saxby Chambliss, Chuck Schumer, Chris Coons, Carl Levin and Bob Casey. Robert Menendez is in the discussions and the White House is being kept apprised.
by deborah.charles 11:53 AM