DHAKA: Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Syria was ‘very actively’ cooperating with international chemical weapons inspectors and suggested that Indonesia join international peace talks on the crisis.

‘Doubts about whether the Syrian leadership would adequately respond to the decision taken on chemical weapons – these doubts did not bear out,’ Russia’s RIA Novosti state news agency quoted Putin as telling reporters at a regional summit in Indonesia, reports daily Hurriyet.

‘The Syrian leadership has very actively joined this work and is acting in a transparent manner, helping international agencies,’ said Putin.

‘I hope that this work will continue at the same pace, in the same spirit.’

Putin added that Moscow would welcome large Muslim nations such as Indonesia joining Syria peace talks that the United States and Russia hope will take place in Geneva in mid-November.

BDST: 1458 HRS, OCT 08, 2013
RoR/BSk