Syrians relieved after Damascus agreed to Russia arms plan

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Syrians relieved after Damascus agreed to Russia arms plan

(Xinhua) 21:05, September 10, 2013

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Lina slept well for the first time since the start of a threatened U.S. strike, relieved after Damascus agreed to give its chemical arsenal to international control, a plan initiated by Russia to avert the strike.

Speaking by phone with Xinhua, Lina, who only gave her first name, said she had been trembling every time she heard reports about the looming strike, which Washington intended as a punishment for Damascus' alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people.

"I even thought about leaving the country. What stopped me was that I could not afford to live abroad indefinitely," she said. " At last, we are saved from the U.S. threats, at least for the near future."

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said his country would push Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control if such a move would help stave off the U.S. strike. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem soon welcomed the proposition.

Syrian analysts say the move could be a first step toward a political solution to the country's long-running crisis.

Over the past few weeks, reports about the possible strike led to thousands of Syrians to flee the country. Most of those who stayed behind had been preparing shelters and foodstuff.

"We equipped the basement of the building with all necessary stuff, including blankets, mattresses, foodstuff, lighters," said Omayma, in her 60s.

"Thank God," she sighed happily. "Thinking about the strike was terrible for me... It's much better to look for a peaceful solution as we are unable to stand more miseries and troubles."

Syria's official newspapers on Tuesday highlighted the Russian initiative.

"Moscow and Damascus have pulled the carpet from underneath the feet of Obama," said al-Watan newspaper in a front-page headline.

"The flexible and quiet Syrian diplomacy has bypassed the test successfully, and was able, once again, to foil the strongest pretexts made by Obama to beat the drums of war," a state-run newspaper said on Tuesday.

Al-Baath newspaper said in a front-page editorial that Syria had responded "quickly and positively" to the Russian proposals concerning the chemical weapons, whose presence, it said, "is still under speculation."

It added that Syria has given an initial approval on the Russian initiative, "but this initiative will certainly not meet all the aspirations" of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who it slammed as "arrogant" for giving only a one week for Damascus to put the chemical weapons under international surveillance.

"He (Kerry) knows that it is impossible to meet this deadline for technical