Syria Joins Anti-Chemical Weapons Treaty But State Dept Says Military Option Still on the Table

Syria Joins Anti-Chemical Weapons Treaty, U.S. Unimpressed


Syria's UN ambassador his country has joined the anti-chemical weapons treaty. State Dept.: Military option still on the table.

Arutz Sheva - Syria became a full member of the global anti-chemical weapons treaty on Thursday, the country’s envoy to the United Nations said.

The government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad hopes this move will prevent U.S. air strikes.

“Legally speaking Syria has become, starting today, a full member of the [chemical weapons] convention,” Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari told reporters in New York after the relevant documents were submitted to the UN.

"With this, the chapter of the so-called chemical weapons should be ended," he added.

Syria was one of only seven countries not to have joined the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which commits members to completely destroying their stockpiles.   More

As Syria talks open, US and Russia diverge on issue of military force 


At outset of two day negotiations on disarming Syria of chemical weapons, John Kerry says that military force may still be needed if diplomacy fails; Russia's Lavrov makes clear that it wants US to set aside military threats.

Jerusalem Post - GENEVA - US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov opened talks on Thursday on disarming Syria's chemical weapons programs, but differences emerged at the outset of the expected two-day negotiations.

Kerry reiterated the US position that military force might be needed against Syria if diplomacy over President Bashar Assad's chemical weapons stockpile fails.

"President (Barack) Obama has made clear that should diplomacy fail force might be necessary to deter and degrade Assad's capacity to deliver these weapons," Kerry said, as Lavrov looked on.   More   PTG