US Secretary of States John Kerry's proposal that Syria could stop threatened US military strikes by placing its chemical weapons stockpile under international control has been accepted by the international community and the Obama administration.
Within hours, Russia embraced it and the Syrian regime also seemingly coming on board.
Political tensions are high with the first votes expected this week in Congress on whether to approve US military strikes against the Syrian regime, news24 reports.
According to the report, Kerry's predecessor Hillary Clinton, in an unusual appearance at the White House, also waded into the debate, saying it would be an important step if Syria's chemical weapons were surrendered to international control.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Damascus to 'place the chemical weapons under international control and then have them destroyed,' adding that such a plan would help avoid military strikes.
Lavrov said he had heard Kerry's comments and Moscow would be willing to engage in the idea of an international supervision of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile, the report said.
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Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron also said it would be a big step if Assad were to hand over its chemical weapons.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was an interesting proposal from Russia adding she hoped action would follow, the report said.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon also called for the creation of UN supervised zones in Syria where the country's chemical weapons could be destroyed, the report added.