US, Russia agree landmark UN resolution on Syria

The resolution will seek to destroy Syria's chemical weapons.

NEW YORK: The United States and Russia on Thursday came to an agreement on over a draft UN resolution that calls on destroying Syria’s chemical weapons, diplomats said.

The draft is expected to be submitted before a specially called United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on Thursday.

The resolution could be the first to be passed by the 15 member council since the start of the Syria conflict in March 2011.

Diplomats said the resolution allows for the Council to decide on sanctions against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad at a later date if a breach of a Russia-US disarmament plan is reported.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed the accord without giving details of the text.

"We reached an understanding with the United States on a draft resolution," Lavrov told reporters at the Security Council.

US, which has been at odds with Russia over action against the Syrian regime, called the agreement an ‘historic’ breakthrough.

Agreement reached w/Russia on UNSC Resolution legally obligating #Syria to give up CW they used on their people. Going to full UNSC tonight.

— Samantha Power (@AmbPower44) September 26, 2013

The United Nations meanwhile stepped up a bid to call Syria peace talks with UN leader Ban Ki-moon to meet the foreign ministers of the five Security Council powers to set a date for a Geneva conference.