The Syrian government and the UN delegation investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons in the country’s civil war said on Saturday that they took part in "productive" negotiations. Meanwhile, the US is urging a political solution to the crisis.
After meeting with Syria’s deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in Damascus, the UN delegation said in a Saturday statement that the “discussions were thorough and productive and led to an agreement on the way forward.” The statement did not specify whether UN inspectors would be allowed into Syria.
In turn, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the discussions were "comprehensive and fruitful and led to an agreement on the means of moving forward," as quoted by Syrian state news agency SANA.
Although some authorities within the US continue to calculate the expenses of solving the Syrian conflict militarily, the general tone of the voices coming from Washington is changing.
The US military recently concluded that 100 per cent seizure of Syria’s chemical weapons cannot be guaranteed even with the thousands of special operations forces on the ground that would be needed “to assault and secure critical sites,” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey wrote in a July 19 letter to the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The impact would be the control of some, but not all chemical weapons,” he added.
“At a minimum, this option would call for a no-fly zone as well as air and missile strikes involving hundreds of aircraft, ships, submarines, and other enablers,” Dempsey acknowledged.
“Thousands of special operations forces and other ground forces would be needed to assault and secure critical sites...costs could also average well over one billion dollars per month,” he wrote.
http://rt.com/news/syrian-conflict-resolution-close-679/
In turn, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the discussions were "comprehensive and fruitful and led to an agreement on the means of moving forward," as quoted by Syrian state news agency SANA.
Although some authorities within the US continue to calculate the expenses of solving the Syrian conflict militarily, the general tone of the voices coming from Washington is changing.
The US military recently concluded that 100 per cent seizure of Syria’s chemical weapons cannot be guaranteed even with the thousands of special operations forces on the ground that would be needed “to assault and secure critical sites,” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey wrote in a July 19 letter to the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The impact would be the control of some, but not all chemical weapons,” he added.
“At a minimum, this option would call for a no-fly zone as well as air and missile strikes involving hundreds of aircraft, ships, submarines, and other enablers,” Dempsey acknowledged.
“Thousands of special operations forces and other ground forces would be needed to assault and secure critical sites...costs could also average well over one billion dollars per month,” he wrote.