Summary US foreign secretary Kerry says evidence is compelling that Assad launched chemical weapons attack.
WASHINGTON/LONDON (AP/Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday that Syria could prevent a military attack if President Bashar al-Assad handed over all his chemical weapons to the international community within the next week but added that Assad was not about to do so.
When asked by a reporter whether there was anything Assad s government could do or offer to stop an attack, Kerry said:
"Sure, he could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week – turn it over, all of it without delay and allow the full and total
accounting (of it) but he isn t about to do it and it can t be done."
Speaking to reporters in London, Kerry also stressed the relationship between Britain and the United States was as strong as ever despite the British parliament having decided not to join military action against Syria.
John Kerry says Syria s President Bashar Assad could resolve the crisis surrounding a chemical weapons attack simply by turning over "every single bit" of his weapons stock to the international community within a week.
But Kerry, holding a news conference in London with British counterpart William Hague on Monday, said he thinks Assad "isn t about to do that."
Kerry was asked about comments that Assad made to CBS anchorman Charlie Rose in which Assad said there was no conclusive evidence about who is to blame for the chemical weapons attack.
Asked about Assad s denial, Kerry said, "I just gave you real evidence."
The secretary of state said, "We know that his regime gave orders to prepare for a chemical attack. We know they deployed forces."
On the other hand, President Barack Obama is going public to try to convince war-weary Americans that limited strikes against Syria are needed for the United States long-term safety, while his national security team is attempting to reassure skeptical lawmakers that the United States is not heading toward another Iraq or Afghanistan.
