The Syrian government has accepted a Russian proposal to put its chemical weapons under international control for subsequent dismantling to avoid a possible U.S. military strike.
Prime Minister Wael al-Halki said the government backed the initiative in order "to spare Syrian blood."
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said France will submit a draft resolution to the United Nation Security Council that would include a condemnation of the August 21 chemical weapons attack and call for those behind it to be punished at the International Criminal Court.