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| U.S. and Russia Far Apart on Eve of Talks Over Syria | U.S. and Russia Far Apart on Eve of Talks Over Syria |
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| WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry headed late Wednesday to Geneva with a team of arms control experts for intensive talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, to try to reach agreement on how to secure and ultimately destroy Syria’s chemical weapons. | WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry headed late Wednesday to Geneva with a team of arms control experts for intensive talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, to try to reach agreement on how to secure and ultimately destroy Syria’s chemical weapons. |
| Mr. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, was taking his own arms control experts to the negotiations, holding out the possibility that there would be depth and detail to the talks. But sharp divisions remained between the two powers less than 24 hours after President Obama said he would hold off on an American military strike on Syria and gave a qualified endorsement to a Russian proposal for international monitors to take over the country’s chemical arsenal. | Mr. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, was taking his own arms control experts to the negotiations, holding out the possibility that there would be depth and detail to the talks. But sharp divisions remained between the two powers less than 24 hours after President Obama said he would hold off on an American military strike on Syria and gave a qualified endorsement to a Russian proposal for international monitors to take over the country’s chemical arsenal. |
| The Obama administration is pressing for a “self-enforcing” resolution in the United Nations that would authorize military action if President Bashar al-Assad of Syria balked at turning over his nation’s huge chemical stockpiles. But the Russians want a nonbinding statement and say the United States has to withdraw the threat of force. Mr. Obama said in a speech to the nation on Tuesday that naval forces would remain in the region in case Mr. Assad backed away from a vaguely worded commitment to cooperate. | The Obama administration is pressing for a “self-enforcing” resolution in the United Nations that would authorize military action if President Bashar al-Assad of Syria balked at turning over his nation’s huge chemical stockpiles. But the Russians want a nonbinding statement and say the United States has to withdraw the threat of force. Mr. Obama said in a speech to the nation on Tuesday that naval forces would remain in the region in case Mr. Assad backed away from a vaguely worded commitment to cooperate. |
| As Mr. Kerry left, lawmakers on both sides of Capitol Hill offered a collective sigh of relief as they returned to more prosaic work, having so far dodged a political confrontation with Mr. Obama that no one in Washington appeared eager to have. The Senate ended its consideration of a resolution authorizing military force against the Syrian government, moving on to an energy-efficiency bill and putting a potentially historic showdown over American military intervention on hold, at least for now. | As Mr. Kerry left, lawmakers on both sides of Capitol Hill offered a collective sigh of relief as they returned to more prosaic work, having so far dodged a political confrontation with Mr. Obama that no one in Washington appeared eager to have. The Senate ended its consideration of a resolution authorizing military force against the Syrian government, moving on to an energy-efficiency bill and putting a potentially historic showdown over American military intervention on hold, at least for now. |
| American officials said the Syria debate would now unfold largely in Geneva, where the United States wants the talks to focus not only on Syria’s chemical weapons but also on securing munitions like bombs or warheads that are designed for chemical attacks. The officials acknowledged that securing the delivery systems for attacks goes far beyond what Mr. Lavrov has offered or is likely to agree to in Geneva this week. | American officials said the Syria debate would now unfold largely in Geneva, where the United States wants the talks to focus not only on Syria’s chemical weapons but also on securing munitions like bombs or warheads that are designed for chemical attacks. The officials acknowledged that securing the delivery systems for attacks goes far beyond what Mr. Lavrov has offered or is likely to agree to in Geneva this week. |
| Adding to the complexity of the diplomatic task is the reality that even if a deal is reached, it would take a year or more to destroy Syria’s chemical stores. One estimate by Pentagon officials determined that Mr. Assad has 1,400 tons of sarin, VX and mustard agents, and that it would take at least 200 to 300 days to take control of the weapons and, short of destruction, to make them unusable. | Adding to the complexity of the diplomatic task is the reality that even if a deal is reached, it would take a year or more to destroy Syria’s chemical stores. One estimate by Pentagon officials determined that Mr. Assad has 1,400 tons of sarin, VX and mustard agents, and that it would take at least 200 to 300 days to take control of the weapons and, short of destruction, to make them unusable. |
| “But we don’t have ideal conditions — far from it,” said one senior official who has studied the problem intensively, referring to the raging civil war in Syria. Until the chemical weapons are neutralized, they would have to be heavily guarded to keep both Mr. Assad’s forces and rebel groups from seizing them. But it is unclear who would be willing to take on that task in the midst of the fighting. Mr. Obama repeated on Tuesday that there would be no American “boots on the ground” in Syria. | “But we don’t have ideal conditions — far from it,” said one senior official who has studied the problem intensively, referring to the raging civil war in Syria. Until the chemical weapons are neutralized, they would have to be heavily guarded to keep both Mr. Assad’s forces and rebel groups from seizing them. But it is unclear who would be willing to take on that task in the midst of the fighting. Mr. Obama repeated on Tuesday that there would be no American “boots on the ground” in Syria. |
| On Wednesday, White House officials refused to set a timeline for any agreement in Geneva or for a subsequent action by the United Nations on a resolution to enforce the deal. The Russians in the meantime have sent the Americans a written proposal on how to handle Mr. Assad’s chemical weapons, but administration officials said it lacked detail on how the stockpiles would be secured, verified and destroyed. | On Wednesday, White House officials refused to set a timeline for any agreement in Geneva or for a subsequent action by the United Nations on a resolution to enforce the deal. The Russians in the meantime have sent the Americans a written proposal on how to handle Mr. Assad’s chemical weapons, but administration officials said it lacked detail on how the stockpiles would be secured, verified and destroyed. |
| “This is a process that will take a certain amount of time,” said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary. “But it needs to be credible. It needs to be verifiable. And we will work with our allies and partners to test whether or not that can be achieved.” | “This is a process that will take a certain amount of time,” said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary. “But it needs to be credible. It needs to be verifiable. And we will work with our allies and partners to test whether or not that can be achieved.” |
| Even as Congress turned to other business, several prominent lawmakers said Wednesday that the threat of force should be maintained alongside the diplomatic efforts. A bipartisan group of senators continued talks on revisiting a resolution to authorize force in Syria if international monitors could not secure the chemical weapons within a matter of days, not weeks. | Even as Congress turned to other business, several prominent lawmakers said Wednesday that the threat of force should be maintained alongside the diplomatic efforts. A bipartisan group of senators continued talks on revisiting a resolution to authorize force in Syria if international monitors could not secure the chemical weapons within a matter of days, not weeks. |
| “If they’re committed to removing Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons stocks, we know how to do that,” Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, said in an interview. He said he “would love” to see a resolution of force “back on the floor, sooner rather than later.” | “If they’re committed to removing Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons stocks, we know how to do that,” Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, said in an interview. He said he “would love” to see a resolution of force “back on the floor, sooner rather than later.” |
| Some Democrats echoed Mr. McCain. “If there is any indication that negotiations are not serious or will not effectively prevent further atrocities, the Senate will act quickly to give the president the authority to hold the Assad regime accountable,” said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader. | Some Democrats echoed Mr. McCain. “If there is any indication that negotiations are not serious or will not effectively prevent further atrocities, the Senate will act quickly to give the president the authority to hold the Assad regime accountable,” said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader. |
| Other lawmakers continued to express skepticism about any attack, saying the president failed in his speech on Tuesday to provide enough information about the diplomatic efforts. Mr. Obama did not say how long he would wait for diplomacy to work, what evidence of compliance he would demand from Syria, or how essential he deemed action by the United Nations. | Other lawmakers continued to express skepticism about any attack, saying the president failed in his speech on Tuesday to provide enough information about the diplomatic efforts. Mr. Obama did not say how long he would wait for diplomacy to work, what evidence of compliance he would demand from Syria, or how essential he deemed action by the United Nations. |
| “A diplomatic resolution is always preferred over military action, but what would that resolution entail, and who will broker it?” Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, said in a statement after the speech. | “A diplomatic resolution is always preferred over military action, but what would that resolution entail, and who will broker it?” Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, said in a statement after the speech. |
| Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky and the leader of the opposition to the use of force in Syria, predicted that the Senate may soon be confronted with the issue again if diplomacy fails. “I’m hoping we find a diplomatic solution,” Mr. Paul said. “Ultimately, people realize a diplomatic solution where chemical weapons went under international control is better than any military effort could have ever gotten.” | Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky and the leader of the opposition to the use of force in Syria, predicted that the Senate may soon be confronted with the issue again if diplomacy fails. “I’m hoping we find a diplomatic solution,” Mr. Paul said. “Ultimately, people realize a diplomatic solution where chemical weapons went under international control is better than any military effort could have ever gotten.” |
| In London, the spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain said that discussions were under way at the United Nations among the United States, France and Britain over a resolution to secure Syria’s chemical weapons, and that the text would later be circulated among Russia and China, the other two permanent members of the Security Council. | In London, the spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain said that discussions were under way at the United Nations among the United States, France and Britain over a resolution to secure Syria’s chemical weapons, and that the text would later be circulated among Russia and China, the other two permanent members of the Security Council. |
| In Germany, there was skepticism about the latest diplomatic proposals. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has called the proposals “a small glimmer of hope,” did not discuss Syria with her cabinet at its regular weekly meeting on Wednesday, according to a government spokesman, Steffen Seibert. | In Germany, there was skepticism about the latest diplomatic proposals. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has called the proposals “a small glimmer of hope,” did not discuss Syria with her cabinet at its regular weekly meeting on Wednesday, according to a government spokesman, Steffen Seibert. |
| “It is important that Syria cannot play for time,” Mr. Seibert said. “The Syrian government must not just make statements, it must act.” | “It is important that Syria cannot play for time,” Mr. Seibert said. “The Syrian government must not just make statements, it must act.” |
Reporting was contributed by Jonathan Weisman and David E. Sanger from Washington, Victor Homola from Berlin, and Steven Erlanger from | Reporting was contributed by Jonathan Weisman and David E. Sanger from Washington, Victor Homola from Berlin, and Steven Erlanger from London. |