The United States and Russia are set to continue high-stakes talks on Friday (September 13) on Moscow's plan for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons as Damascus formally applies to join a global poison gas ban.

Following a first day of talks on Thursday (September 12), U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry underscored that U.S. military force may still be necessary if diplomacy fails.

The talks were part of a diplomatic push that prompted President Barack Obama to put on hold plans for U.S. air strikes in response to a chemical weapons attack on civilians near Damascus on Aug. 21.

The United States and its allies say Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces carried out the attack with sarin nerve gas, killing more than 1,400 people, including 400 children. Russia and Assad blame rebel forces.

The United Nations said it received a document from Syria on joining the global anti-chemical weapons treaty, a move Assad promised as part of a deal to avoid U.S. air strikes.

Presented by Adam Justice

Read more: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/505836/20130913/syria-russia-mediterranean-navy-kerry-lavrov-geneva.htm