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Syria conflict: France to float tough UN resolution Syria conflict: France to float tough UN resolution
(35 minutes later)
France will put a resolution to the UN Security Council to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control so they can be destroyed, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says.France will put a resolution to the UN Security Council to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control so they can be destroyed, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says.
He said it would threaten "extremely serious" consequences if Syria breached its conditions. He said the resolution would threaten "extremely serious" consequences if Syria breached its conditions.
There would be a request for a complete inspection of all chemical weapons. The move follows Russia's announcement of a plan to put the chemical weapons under international control.
Russia also has a plan to put Syria's chemical weapons under international control, it says. Syria has said it accepts the Russian proposal, though details are sketchy.
Mr Fabius, who was speaking at a news conference in Paris, said the resolution, based around five points, would demand that Syria "bring fully to light" its chemical weapons programme. "We held a very fruitful round of talks with [Russian] Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday [Monday], and he proposed an initiative relating to chemical weapons. And in the evening, we agreed to the Russian initiative," Russian news agency Interfax quoted Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallim, who is in Moscow, as saying.
This would "remove the grounds for American aggression", he said.
Earlier, Mr Fabius, who was speaking at a news conference in Paris, said the resolution, based around five points, would demand that Syria "bring fully to light" its chemical weapons programme.
The measure would also set up international inspections and controls of the dismantling process.The measure would also set up international inspections and controls of the dismantling process.
The resolution would be tabled under Chapter 7 of the UN charter covering possible military and non-military action to restore peace, Mr Fabius added.The resolution would be tabled under Chapter 7 of the UN charter covering possible military and non-military action to restore peace, Mr Fabius added.
The plan had been discussed before, he said, but has probably been advanced by the pressure applied in recent weeks. The plan had been discussed before, he said, but had probably been advanced by the pressure applied in recent weeks.
The Russians have blocked all previous French-led efforts at the Security Council, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris.The Russians have blocked all previous French-led efforts at the Security Council, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris.
Both France and the United States are wary of an Iraq-style game of cat and mouse - but they are prepared to give the Moscow-backed plan a chance, our correspondent adds.Both France and the United States are wary of an Iraq-style game of cat and mouse - but they are prepared to give the Moscow-backed plan a chance, our correspondent adds.
What the French are keen to avoid, Mr Fabius said, is a plan that is only there as a delaying tactic, which is why all options, including the threat of a strike, will remain on the table, our correspondent says.What the French are keen to avoid, Mr Fabius said, is a plan that is only there as a delaying tactic, which is why all options, including the threat of a strike, will remain on the table, our correspondent says.
Moscow plan Obama sceptical
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a press conference with the Libyan foreign minister, has been speaking about Moscow's plan to put Syrian's chemical weapons stockpiles under international control. There have been few details so far of Russia's plan, but Mr Lavrov said in Moscow that it was "preparing a concrete proposal which will be presented to all interested sides, including the US... a workable, specific, concrete plan".
There have been few details so far, but Mr Lavrov said Moscow was "preparing a concrete proposal which will be presented to all interested sides, including the US... a workable, specific, concrete plan". Mr Muallim said: "We are convinced that the position of those striving for peace is much stronger than that of those trying to fuel war."
He said he had spoken to US Secretary of State John Kerry on the telephone about this on Monday. Mr Lavrov said he had spoken to US Secretary of State John Kerry on the telephone about the plan on Monday.
Mr Lavrov said the Russian initiative was "not a purely Russian initiative... It grew out of contacts we've had with the Americans".Mr Lavrov said the Russian initiative was "not a purely Russian initiative... It grew out of contacts we've had with the Americans".
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discussed the idea on the sidelines of a G20 summit last week, Mr Putin's spokesman said on Tuesday.Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discussed the idea on the sidelines of a G20 summit last week, Mr Putin's spokesman said on Tuesday.
Mr Lavrov noted Mr Obama's suggestion in a US TV interview that this may be a "breakthrough".Mr Lavrov noted Mr Obama's suggestion in a US TV interview that this may be a "breakthrough".
Overnight, Mr Obama said the Russian proposal could be a breakthrough, but that he remained sceptical.Overnight, Mr Obama said the Russian proposal could be a breakthrough, but that he remained sceptical.
On Monday, Mr Kerry warned that not responding to the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian forces would be riskier than taking action. The BBC's Jane Hill in Washington says Mr Obama is to hold working lunches with senior senators on Tuesday and his prime time television address is still scheduled to go ahead in the evening,
The US claims that Mr Assad's forces carried out a chemical attack in Damascus on 21 August, killing 1,429 people.The US claims that Mr Assad's forces carried out a chemical attack in Damascus on 21 August, killing 1,429 people.
Mr Assad's government blames the attack on rebels fighting to overthrow him, in a conflict that the UN says has claimed some 100,000 lives.Mr Assad's government blames the attack on rebels fighting to overthrow him, in a conflict that the UN says has claimed some 100,000 lives.