Russia-US Syria negotiations enter third day

 

 Mr Kerry (right) and Mr Lavrov discussed the possibility of a second peace conference on Syria once the chemical weapons issue is resolved

Talks between Russia and the US aimed at reaching agreement on accounting for and disposing of Syria's chemical weapons are to enter a third day.

US officials say the talks in Geneva between Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are tough but are making progress.
One told the BBC they are estimating the size of Syria's chemical stockpile.
A UN report expected next week will "overwhelmingly" confirm that chemical weapons were used in Syria last month.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made no comment on who was to blame for the 21 August attack in the Ghouta area of Damascus, as that is not part of the report's remit.
But he did say Syria's president was guilty of "crimes against humanity".

Ban Ki-moon: "He (Assad) has committed many crimes against humanity"

A spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the talks between the minister and Mr Kerry in Geneva were "on some real substance".
'Accountability' Correspondents sat that the negotiators in Geneva still face considerable technical and political challenges when they resume.
Earlier, the two men said they had agreed to discuss preparations for a peace conference on Syria for later this month.
A US official told AP news agency that the talks were at a "pivotal point".
Some progress has been made on how to account for Syria's chemical weapons inventory, the official said, adding that both the US and Russia have narrowed their differences over what each country believes to be the size of the Syrian stockpiles.

Analysis

Paul Adams BBC News, Geneva

"We wouldn't be continuing if we didn't think there was room for progress," one US official in Geneva said. "But it's difficult."
The two sides "are coming closer on the size of the stockpile," a US administration official added. Going into these talks, the Americans and Russians cited very different figures for the size of the Syrian chemical weapons stockpile (an apparent 40% difference). The US has shared its intelligence on this with the Russians, which seems to have narrowed the difference.
The official would not be drawn on reports from Washington that the US no longer expects a UN Security Council resolution to include the potential use of military force. This, the official said, was not the focus of discussion in Geneva.
The stage would appear to be almost set for the announcement of a joint statement, probably on Saturday, that the US and Russia have reached agreement on the principles and framework of a plan to oversee the dismantling of Syria's chemical weapons.

Washington and its allies accuse the Syrian government of killing hundreds of people in a chemical attack in Ghouta. The government denies the allegation, blaming rebels.

Mr Ban said the UN findings would be "an overwhelming report that chemical weapons were used".
Speaking on Friday, Mr Ban made no comment on blame but did say that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had "carried out many crimes against humanity".
The BBC's Nick Bryant says Mr Ban appeared not to have realised his comments at the UN Women's International Forum were being broadcast.
But they were shown on UN television.
A senior UN diplomat told the BBC that Mr Ban would brief the Security Council on the report in New York at 11:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Monday.
Diplomats said that while the report might not lay explicit blame, its factual reporting based on soil, blood and urine samples - and interviews with doctors and witnesses - could suggest who was responsible.
'Real negotiating' The negotiations in Geneva are mainly concerned with a Russian plan to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control.
Syria has agreed to the plan and has sent documents to the UN to sign up to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which outlaws the production and use of the weapons.
The plan led President Barack Obama to put off calls for the US Congress to vote on a campaign of military strikes.

The BBC's Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen on "exceptionally heavy shelling" in Damascus

A Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman told Reuters news agency: "It is a sign that we are going on, that we proceed with talking and negotiating. Now it is like a real negotiating process, they are working on some real substance."
Both Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov met UN Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to discuss the potential for a broader peace conference in Geneva at a later.
Mr Kerry had earlier described the talks as "constructive" and President Obama said he hoped they would "bear fruit", adding: "But I repeated what I've said publicly, which is any agreement needs to be verifiable and enforceable."

Chemical weapons plan timeline

5-6 Sep: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discuss idea of placing Syria's chemical weapons under international control on sidelines of G20 summit
9 Sep: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says he has urged Syria to hand in chemical weapons and have them destroyed; Syria welcomes plan
10 Sep: Syria's foreign minister makes first public admission of the regime's chemical weapons stockpile; Syria commits to Russian plan. Mr Obama postpones Congress vote on military action and says he will give Russian plan a chance
12 Sep: US Secretary of State John Kerry meets Mr Lavrov in Geneva
13 Sep: Second round of Geneva talks takes place

Diplomacy will continue over the weekend, with Mr Kerry visiting Israel on Sunday.

Mr Lavrov said he welcomed the chance to discuss the "longer-term goal" of peace in Syria, and that now Syria had joined the Chemical Weapons Convention it was necessary "to design a road which would make sure that this issue is resolved quickly, professionally, as soon as is practical".
The BBC's James Robbins in Geneva says it appears the pair of envoys get on well, but that until they agree on the narrower issue of chemical weapons, reviving the wider peace talks feels like a distant prospect.
If the Geneva talks are successful, the US hopes the disarmament process will be agreed in a UN Security Council resolution.
However, Russia regards as unacceptable any resolution backed by military force. The Obama administration for its part has signalled its willingness to compromise on a possible UN resolution punishing Syria.
Senior White House officials are quoted as saying that President Obama will no longer demand that it includes the threat of force - the major sticking point with Russia.
Instead, they told reporters America would reserve the right to take military action without UN backing.
More than 100,000 people have died since the uprising against President Assad began in 2011. Millions of Syrians have been displaced.
SOURCE: BBC