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Middle East and North Africa

Japanese government welcomes Russia’s proposal on Syrian chemical weapons

Tokyo will hold close consultations with the countries concerned

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

TOKYO, September 10. (Itar-Tass). - Japanese government had given an encouraging assessment to Russia’s proposal on placing the chemical weapons in Syria under international control, Yoshihide Suga, the Chief Cabinet Secretary told a news conference Tuesday.

He said the Japanese government would like to support the efforts of the countries concerned and in this context the cabinet sized up Russia’s proposal as a promising tendency.

Tokyo will hold close consultations with the countries concerned and will watch the actions of the Syrian authorities to see whether or not Damascus displays a serious approach to the issue.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the US earlier to support Russia’s proposal regarding the placement of Syrian chemical weapons under international control. He said it at a meeting with Natsugo Yamaguchi, the leader of the New Komeito party and a member of the ruling coalition, at the UN headquarters in New York.

He made it clear that the acceptance of Russia’s proposal might help prevent a military operation against Syria.

US President Barack Obama said in a series of TV interviews Monday night that Russia’s proposal regarding the Syrian weapons meant a "possible breakthrough" and a "potentially positive development".

He said he had issued an instruction to the Secretary of State, John Kerry, to discuss the Russian initiative with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

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