Iraq hails Russian initiative over Syria

"Iraq welcomes the Russian initiative that calls on the Syrian government to hand over their stockpiles of chemical weapons for international supervision and control as an international measure of disarmament," reported Xinhua citing an Iraqi foreign ministry statement.

It added that the initiative comes to ease the tension in the Syrian crisis and to strengthen the opportunities of a political solution.

On Monday, Russia proposed an initiative over the Syrian crisis, stimulating to secure the chemical stockpiles of the Syrian government under international observation, apparently in a bid to cool down the tension and prevent a possible US military action against Syria.