Assad’s offer

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With the US considering a military strike in Syria and Russia interceding on behalf of the Assad Government, West Asia seemed on the brink of a conflagration. But the situation has brightened with President Assad’s offer to submit documents to the UN so that Syria’s chemical arsenal is put under international control. Moscow had earlier unveiled its plants for neutralizing the Assad government’s stock of nervous weapons. John Kerry, US secretary of state and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov will meet in Geneva to discuss the plan. It is considerably looser that the French plan submitted earlier. Lavrov has said that there is a chance for peace in Syria. But it will depend on the West putting pressure on the Syrian opposition to negotiate. The US state department has indicated that it will ask for some specific things. Damascus will have to declare its stockpile without delay.

The Syrian National Opposition has rejected the Russian initiative as a political ploy to buy time for the Assads regime. President Putin has reiterated his opposition to a military strike on Syria. He also said that Moscow’s relations with Washington had improved with President Obama veering away from the course of military action. Damascus will be asked to join the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Since Assad has agreed to open up the arsenal to UN inspection, the US and other Western powers should be satisfied. It is their job to persuade the Opposition in Syria to accept the peace settlement in sight. The sooner the two year long civil war in Syria is brought to an end, the better for West Asia and the rest of the world including India.

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