Russian, US chemical weapons experts to take part in Lavrov-Kerry meeting in Geneva

Teams of US and Russian chemical weapons experts are said to accompany their corresponding delegations for the upcoming high-stakes talks on Syria’s “chemical arsenal”, Russia’s foreign minister said Thursday.

“Both we and Americans are going to bring experts who have a good command of such problems and ways of dealing with them,” Lavrov said. “These are in large part technical matters,” he added.

Lavrov spoke in favor of Damascus joining the Chemical Weapons Convention, “which would presume that Syria should declare nonproliferation of chemical weapons and disclose its chemical programs in general.”

Sergei Lavrov is set to meet his US counterpart, John Kerry, on Thursday, though officials say the negotiations could stretch into Saturday.

Lavrov to discuss preparations for int’l meeting on Syria with Kerry in Geneva

UN envoy to Syria Brahimi to come to Geneva on Sept 12 to take part in Lavrov-Kerry meeting

UN Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is heading to Geneva and, if possible, is planning to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry there, Martin Nesirky, the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said.

The meeting will be focused on ways practically implement the idea of putting the Syrian chemical weapons under international control.

Program of Lavrov-Kerry talks is being worked out – source

The program of talks on Syria involving Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry is being thrashed out; a source on the Russian delegation said.

“The program of the talks in Geneva is being worked out,” the source said answering the question whether UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is expected to take part in the talks on Syria.

Lavrov and Kerry are due to meet in Geneva on September 12-13. The United Nations has announced that Brahimi is flying to Geneva where he will be available for contacts with Lavrov and Kerry, if they wish it.

Lavrov, Kerry to discuss in Geneva how to impound Syrian chemical weapons

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry were expected to discuss Moscow’s plan for controlling Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal at a meeting Thursday in Geneva.

Russia delivered the plan Wednesday to US officials ahead of the Geneva talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries, the Russian news agency Interfax reported, citing an unidentified Foreign Ministry official.

Kerry and Lavrov were likely to continue talks on Friday and perhaps into the weekend, diplomats in Geneva said.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States will evaluate the Russian proposal’s credibility, but Kerry already told Lavrov that the US is “not going to play games here.”

Psaki said developments since Tuesday – when Damascus immediately agreed to a surprise Russian proposal to impound Syria’s chemical weapons – had opened a door to resolve the crisis through negotiations.

“We don’t think it will be easy, but we have the responsibility to pursue it,” she said.

Russia said Wednesday it had given the US its plan to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control amid hopes of a diplomatic solution to the crisis triggered by an alleged gas attack near Damascus last month.

Sources:Voice of Russia, DPA, AFP, TASS, Interfax, RIA

M.D