10/09/2013 10:02
Obama 'could pause Syria attack plans'
US President Barack Obama has said he will put plans for a US military strike against Syria on hold if the country agrees to place its chemical weapons stockpile under international control, the BBC reported.
But he said he was sceptical the Syrian government would follow through.
As the US Congress debates authorising an attack, Russia on Monday proposed Syria relinquish its chemical weapons.
The US accuses Damascus of war crimes including use of chemical weapons, allegations denied by the regime.
The US president on Monday gave a series of television interviews aimed at building support among a US Congress and public wary of new military action in the Middle East.
The president maintains a limited strike is needed to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime for the use of chemical weapons and to deter it from using them again.
"I want to make sure that norm against use of chemical weapons is maintained," Mr Obama told ABC News.
"That's in our national security interest. If we can do that without a military strike, that is overwhelmingly my preference."