VOA标准英语2013--克里,拉夫罗夫 对叙利亚的武器协议 “建设性的"会谈（在线收听）

Kerry, Lavrov in 'Constructive' Talks on Syria Weapons Agreement 克里,拉夫罗夫对叙利亚的武器协议 “建设性的"会谈

GENEVA — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, had "constructive" talks Friday on ending Syria's chemical weapons program.

日内瓦-美国国务卿约翰·克里和俄罗斯外长谢尔盖 拉夫罗夫关于叙利亚的化学武器项目“建设性的”会谈在星期五结束。

The two diplomats and the U.N. envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, met in Geneva to discuss a Russian plan on how to put Syria's chemical weapons under international control. The move could avert a U.S. military strike in retaliation for the Syrian regime's alleged poison-gas attack on civilians last month near Damascus.

这两个外交官和联合国叙利亚问题特使,布拉希米,在日内瓦会晤,讨论俄罗斯计划如何把叙利亚的化学武器在国际控制。此举可能避免美国为了报复所谓的上个月大马士革附近毒气攻击平民军事打击叙利亚政权。

Kerry says "constructive" talks on containing and destroying Syrian chemical weapons have included some of the "homework" that he and Foreign Minister Lavrov need to do to get Syria's warring factions to a conference on a transitional government.

The men had a working lunch and their delegations broke into small groups into the evening.

"We've both agreed to do that homework and meet again in New York around the time of the U.N. General Assembly, around the 28th, in order to see if it is possible then to find a date for that conference much of which will obviously depend on the capacity to have success here in the next day, hours, days on the subject of the chemical weapons" Kerry said.

Lavrov says progress on Syrian chemical weapons could help open the way for a political transition.

"The Syrian parties must reach mutual consent on the transitional governing organ which would command full executive authority. And the communique also says that all groups of Syrian society must be represented," he said.

Talks with UN envoy

Kerry and Lavrov spoke to reporters Friday after meeting with the U.N. special representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, who is trying to organize this conference known as Geneva II.

"It is extremely important in itself and for itself, but it is also extremely important for us working with you on trying to bring together the Geneva Two conference successfully," Brahimi said.

That conference has been repeatedly delayed by confusion within the Syrian opposition and by disagreement over what other nations might attend. Russia believes Iran should take part in those talks. Washington opposes Tehran's participation because its forces are advising and supplying Syrian troops.

It is not clear how these talks on chemical weapons might resolve those outstanding differences over a Geneva Two conference, but Kerry says he is hopeful this initiative "could pay off and bring peace and stability to a war-torn part of the world."

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has formally applied to join an international convention banning the use of chemical weapons but says that can not be "brought to the final stage" while his country is under the threat of a U.S. missile strike.

U.S. President Barack Obama says he retains the right to use force to degrade Syria's ability to use chemical weapons following an August attack outside Damascus that Washington blames on Assad forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says there is "every reason" to believe that opposition fighters were responsible for that chemical weapon attack in a bid to provoke outside military action.

In an opinion piece in The New York Times newspaper, he warned against a U.S. military strike on Syria saying that "would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism."

UN report due

In New York, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said he expects a report from a team investigating the August 21st attack will be an "overwhelming report" that shows chemical weapons were used. U.N. officials told VOA the report is expected on Monday.

It will reportedly focus on analysis of biomedical and environmental samples they collected from the area of the attack. The team also took statements from medical personnel and survivors.

The team's mandate is to say only whether chemical agents were used, not who used them.

A spokesman for Ban, Farhan Haq, said although the report is not complete, the secretary-general has been in touch with the team's experts.

Syria has joined an international chemical weapons ban, but insists it has one month to provide details on its chemical weapons stockpile.

Ban also expressed his continued concern over the crisis in Syria, which has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced at least six million.

Speaking about calls for Assad to leave power, he said it is for the people of Syria to decide.

“I think that's their choice," Ban said. "What happened is that he has committed many crimes against humanity. Therefore, I'm sure that there will be, surely, the process of accountability when everything is over.”

Executions blamed on Syrian forces

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch announced Friday that Syrian government-linked forces executed at least 248 people, including women and children, following clashes with opposition fighters in two towns earlier this year.

The killings in the coastal towns of al-Bayda and Baniyas were among the "deadliest instances of mass summary executions" during Syria's two and a half year-long civil war, the group said in a report.

The executions followed clashes between government and rebel forces on May 2-3, according to the repor. After opposition fighters retreated, the report said Assad fighters entered homes, rounded up men from each neighborhood, and shot them execution style.

Human Rights Watch documented at least 23 women and 14 children, including infants, it says were killed by government forces in al-Bayda. It said in both towns, government or pro-government forces executed, or tried to execute, entire families.

Syria's government has admitted to killing "terrorists," its name for rebels, and possibly committing what it called "mistakes" during the military operation in the two towns. But Human Rights Watch says the "overwhelming majority" were executed after the clashes had ended.

Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch's acting Middle East director, says the executions show that the world "shouldn't forget that Syrian government forces have used conventional means to slaughter civilians."

Human Rights Watch said the U.N. Security Council should "ensure accountability for these crimes by referring the situation to the International Criminal Court."

William Gallo contributed to this report from Washington and Margaret Besheer from the United Nations