Syria "welcomes" Russia's proposal for President al-Assad's regime to put chemical weapons under international control, CNN reported.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told reporters in Moscow on Monday that his nation "welcomes" a statement from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said his country would urge Syria to take that step if it would avert a U.S. military response.

"During our talks with Foreign Minister Lavrov this morning, he launched an initiative related to chemical weapons. I listened carefully to his statement this evening in regards to that. I declare that the Syrian Arab Republic welcomes Russia's initiative, on the basis that the Syrian leadership cares about the lives of our citizens and the security in our country. We are also confident in the wisdom of the Russian government, which is trying to prevent an American aggression against our people," Moallem said.

Earlier in the day Russia asked Syria to put its chemical weapons stockpile under "international control" in a bid to avoid US military strikes, and then have them destroyed.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the offer was made during talks with his Syrian counterpart, and he hoped for a quick response from Damascus.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has again denied using chemical weapons.

The US is threatening strikes, accusing the Assad regime of war crimes.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, in Europe to garner support for the military action, has once again warned that taking no action is riskier than launching strikes.

Lavrov later called on Syria to "place the chemical weapons under international control and then have them destroyed".

He said the offer had been made to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem during talks in Moscow.

Lavrov said he did not know whether Damascus would agree, but Russia was hoping for a positive response.

The Russians have been the main international ally of Mr Assad's regime throughout Syria's two-and-a-half-year civil war.

Russia has blocked three resolutions against Syria in the UN Security Council, and has dismissed evidence linking Mr Assad's forces to a chemical attack in Damascus on 21 August.

The US says Syrian government forces used poison gas to kill 1,429 people in the attack.
Assad's government blames the attack on rebels fighting to overthrow him, in a conflict that the

UN says has claimed some 100,000 lives.

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