Obama says proposal could be potential breakthrough

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says a proposal to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control to avoid US military strikes could be a potential breakthrough.

Obama told NBC News in an interview Monday that he remains skeptical that Syria will follow through and turn over its stockpile, so he’s taking a statement from Damascus, quote, “with a grain of salt initially.” But he says he would prefer to have a diplomatic solution to the crisis rather than launch a military attack, and called it “a potentially positive development.”

Secretary of State John Kerry suggested earlier Monday that Syria could avoid a potential US air attack by putting its chemical weapons under international control. Syria’s ally Russia quickly took the idea to Syria’s foreign minister, who said Damascus welcomes the proposal.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.