Putin urges U.S. to drop military strike plan against Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that placing Syrian chemical weapons under international control makes sense only if the U.S. drops its military strike plan against Syria.

"Certainly, all this makes sense and can work only if we hear that the U.S. side and everyone who supports the U.S. in this sense drops the idea of using force," Putin said in a statement published on the Kremlin website.

It is hard for Syria to disarm unilaterally if "some forcible action is being prepared against it," Putin added.

Russia expects Damascus not only agree to put its chemical weapons under control and dispose them, but also join relevant international convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons, according to the Russian president.

Meanwhile, Russia will work together with both Syrians and its American partners, Putin said, adding he hoped the latest development will be a "good step toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis."

Earlier the day, visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al- Moualem said Damascus accepted a Moscow proposal to put its chemical weapons under international control to "stave off" a possible U.S. military strike.

According to Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee, the first steps to implement the Syrian chemical weapons proposal were discussed during talks between al-Moualem and Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin.

A decision on putting Syrian chemical weapons under control will be made within 7-10 days, Pushkov added.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said that Russia has been working on a feasible plan to place Syrian chemical weapons under international control.