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| Syria Takes Steps to Join Weapons Treaty as U.S.-Russian Talks Begin | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| GENEVA — Secretary of State John Kerry and a team of American arms control experts arrived here Thursday to begin talks with their Russian counterparts on a plan to secure and dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons, as Syria’s top leader publicly agreed to the plan for the first time and took the first steps toward joining the international treaty that bans them. | |
| American officials said they were planning a series of early tests to determine if the Russian government, and, more important, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, were serious about accepting international control of Syria’s huge chemical arsenal. | American officials said they were planning a series of early tests to determine if the Russian government, and, more important, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, were serious about accepting international control of Syria’s huge chemical arsenal. |
| President Assad, whose government had not acknowledged possessing the weapons until this week, publicly agreed to the plan for the first time on Thursday. In an interview from Damascus broadcast on Russian television, he said he acted solely on the basis of advice from Russia. “Threats made by the U.S. did not influence our decision to permit monitoring of our chemical weapons by the international community,” Mr. Assad said. | |
| He also said Syria had begun submitting documents required to join the Convention on Chemical Weapons, the international treaty signed by most countries renouncing the use of chemical munitions. At the United Nations, Farhan Haq, a spokesman, confirmed later Thursday that it had received a letter from the Syrian government stating its intention to become a treaty member. “This starts the process under way,” he told reporters at a daily briefing. | |
| One test of Mr. Assad’s sincerity will be the willingness of Russia and Syria to accept “a rapid beginning to international control” that would preclude the Assad government from gaining access to chemical weapons or using them, said a senior State Department official who was traveling on Mr. Kerry’s plane. | |
| Another test is how much candor the Syrian government is prepared to show about its chemical weapons stocks and production facilities. | Another test is how much candor the Syrian government is prepared to show about its chemical weapons stocks and production facilities. |
| “There are some specific things that we can ask for, and see if they get delivered very quickly, that will give us an early sense of whether there is reality here or not,” said the State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under department protocols. | |
| The Syrian government, the official said, could “declare all of their stockpile quickly.” | The Syrian government, the official said, could “declare all of their stockpile quickly.” |
| Mr. Kerry met Thursday afternoon with Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations envoy who would play a major role if talks on a potential political settlement in Syria were resumed. | Mr. Kerry met Thursday afternoon with Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations envoy who would play a major role if talks on a potential political settlement in Syria were resumed. |
| Mr. Kerry was scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov, and his delegation Thursday evening. The American-Russian talks will continue on Friday and probably on Saturday. | |
| The meetings will take place at the same Geneva hotel where Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the secretary of state, presented Mr. Lavrov with a red “reset” button in 2009 to symbolize the Obama administration’s efforts to improve ties with Moscow — an effort that so far has been largely stymied. | The meetings will take place at the same Geneva hotel where Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the secretary of state, presented Mr. Lavrov with a red “reset” button in 2009 to symbolize the Obama administration’s efforts to improve ties with Moscow — an effort that so far has been largely stymied. |
| American officials have been hoping that the two sides can cobble together an effective plan but are wary of being drawn into prolonged talks that would serve as a delaying tactic to prevent an American-led military strike. | American officials have been hoping that the two sides can cobble together an effective plan but are wary of being drawn into prolonged talks that would serve as a delaying tactic to prevent an American-led military strike. |
| The task of coming up with a verifiable plan to inspect, control and dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons during a civil war is daunting. Though Obama administration officials have said the problem of Syria’s chemical weapons has been discussed with the Russians for more than a year, the two sides have not yet talked about the problem in detail. | The task of coming up with a verifiable plan to inspect, control and dispose of Syria’s chemical weapons during a civil war is daunting. Though Obama administration officials have said the problem of Syria’s chemical weapons has been discussed with the Russians for more than a year, the two sides have not yet talked about the problem in detail. |
| For example, the United States and Russia have yet to compare intelligence on the size of Syria’s chemical stocks, their main elements and their locations. American officials have declassified intelligence reports and plan to begin that process here. | For example, the United States and Russia have yet to compare intelligence on the size of Syria’s chemical stocks, their main elements and their locations. American officials have declassified intelligence reports and plan to begin that process here. |
| “What we will be looking at is the chemical weapons stockpiles, the production facilities, precursor chemicals,” the State Department official said. “And to the extent that there are munitions that are used to spread those chemical weapons in whatever manner, that obviously is part of dismantling and destroying the chemical weapons that Assad has.” | “What we will be looking at is the chemical weapons stockpiles, the production facilities, precursor chemicals,” the State Department official said. “And to the extent that there are munitions that are used to spread those chemical weapons in whatever manner, that obviously is part of dismantling and destroying the chemical weapons that Assad has.” |
| How to protect any inspectors who would examine Syria’s weapons and which nations would supply the monitors are also important questions. | How to protect any inspectors who would examine Syria’s weapons and which nations would supply the monitors are also important questions. |
| While American officials are still waiting for the Russians to present a detailed plan, some elements were described by Russian officials and in news reports in Moscow. | While American officials are still waiting for the Russians to present a detailed plan, some elements were described by Russian officials and in news reports in Moscow. |
| The proposal that Russia has presented for resolving the crisis over chemical weapons in Syria would unfold in stages that could take months to put into place. | The proposal that Russia has presented for resolving the crisis over chemical weapons in Syria would unfold in stages that could take months to put into place. |
| After signing the chemical weapons treaty, i according to a diplomatic official cited by the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Syria will be required to declare the sites of its chemical arsenal to the organization that oversees it. Inspectors would then be dispatched to verify those declarations, a potentially laborious effort complicated by the uncertain security situation in the country. | |
| Mr. Lavrov, in remarks posted on the Foreign Ministry’s Web site, said he and Mr. Kerry would be accompanied in their talks by disarmament experts from both countries “to determine which steps are concretely required in order to safeguard the corresponding storage places and arsenals.” | Mr. Lavrov, in remarks posted on the Foreign Ministry’s Web site, said he and Mr. Kerry would be accompanied in their talks by disarmament experts from both countries “to determine which steps are concretely required in order to safeguard the corresponding storage places and arsenals.” |
| American officials said Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov would not be negotiating the terms of a United Nations resolution in Geneva. That will be done at the United Nations. But the technical talks here will inform that process. | American officials said Mr. Kerry and Mr. Lavrov would not be negotiating the terms of a United Nations resolution in Geneva. That will be done at the United Nations. But the technical talks here will inform that process. |
| The French, with American and British support, have drafted a Security Council resolution that would authorize the use of force under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter if Syria balked at complying with a disarmament plan. In contrast, the Russians have proposed that the president of the Security Council issue a nonbinding statement. | The French, with American and British support, have drafted a Security Council resolution that would authorize the use of force under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter if Syria balked at complying with a disarmament plan. In contrast, the Russians have proposed that the president of the Security Council issue a nonbinding statement. |
| Mr. Lavrov has suggested that the proposal will succeed only if the United States abandons the threat of force, but it is not clear whether the Russians will insist on an explicit commitment from the Americans or others not to launch strikes in exchange for Syria’s cooperation with international inspectors. | Mr. Lavrov has suggested that the proposal will succeed only if the United States abandons the threat of force, but it is not clear whether the Russians will insist on an explicit commitment from the Americans or others not to launch strikes in exchange for Syria’s cooperation with international inspectors. |
| President Obama’s decision to delay any military action and explore a disarmament plan with the Russians, who have been one of the main arms suppliers to the Assad government, has distressed much of the Syrian opposition. One American official who deals with the Syrian rebels said they were upset by the development. | President Obama’s decision to delay any military action and explore a disarmament plan with the Russians, who have been one of the main arms suppliers to the Assad government, has distressed much of the Syrian opposition. One American official who deals with the Syrian rebels said they were upset by the development. |
| “They don’t trust this at all,” he said. “So we’re asking them not to prejudge. I mean, what matters to Syrians inside Syria is for chemical weapons not to be used again.” | “They don’t trust this at all,” he said. “So we’re asking them not to prejudge. I mean, what matters to Syrians inside Syria is for chemical weapons not to be used again.” |
| In a recent statement, Gen. Salim Idris, the head of the military wing of the Syrian opposition, rejected the Russian initiative and said the Syrians who carried out the Aug. 21 chemical attack near Damascus that started the current crisis must be punished. | In a recent statement, Gen. Salim Idris, the head of the military wing of the Syrian opposition, rejected the Russian initiative and said the Syrians who carried out the Aug. 21 chemical attack near Damascus that started the current crisis must be punished. |
| Mr. Lavrov said the meeting in Geneva would also provide an opportunity to discuss reviving the stalled effort he and Mr. Kerry announced in Moscow in May to organize an international conference between Syria’s government and rebel forces aimed at finding a political resolution to the civil war. He said Syria’s government had agreed to attend those talks but the United States and other nations had failed to persuade “the irreconcilable Syrian opposition” to do so. | Mr. Lavrov said the meeting in Geneva would also provide an opportunity to discuss reviving the stalled effort he and Mr. Kerry announced in Moscow in May to organize an international conference between Syria’s government and rebel forces aimed at finding a political resolution to the civil war. He said Syria’s government had agreed to attend those talks but the United States and other nations had failed to persuade “the irreconcilable Syrian opposition” to do so. |
| Adding to the complexity of the diplomatic task is the reality that even if a deal is reached, it will 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, make them unusable. | Adding to the complexity of the diplomatic task is the reality that even if a deal is reached, it will 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, 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 will 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 will 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. |
Michael R. Gordon reported from Geneva, and Steven Lee Myers from Moscow. Andrew Roth contributed reporting from | Michael R. Gordon reported from Geneva, and Steven Lee Myers from Moscow. Andrew Roth contributed reporting from Moscow, and Rick Gladstone from New York. |