The United States and Russia have agreed on a proposal to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons arsenal, averting the possibility of any immediate US military action against president Bashar al-Assad's government.

US secretary of state John Kerry and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov announced the agreement on Saturday after nearly three days of talks in Geneva.

Under the pact, Syria must submit a "comprehensive listing" of its chemical weapons stockpiles within one week, Mr Kerry said.

He told a news conference with Mr Lavrov that UN weapons inspectors must be on the ground in Syria no later than November.

The goal, he said, was the complete destruction of Syria's chemical weapons by the middle of 2014.

US-Russian deal on Syria The deal requires the complete destruction of chemical weapons in Syria by mid-2014.

The deal requires the complete destruction of chemical weapons in Syria by mid-2014. Initial arms inspections in Syria are to be completed by November.

Initial arms inspections in Syria are to be completed by November. Chemical weapons production and mixing equipment must also be destroyed by November.

Chemical weapons production and mixing equipment must also be destroyed by November. The deal mentions a hybrid approach to destroy weapons in Syria or remove them for destruction outside the country.

The deal mentions a hybrid approach to destroy weapons in Syria or remove them for destruction outside the country. The US and Russia will work with the UN, OPCW and Syrian parties to achieve the goals. Source: Joint Framework on Destruction of Syrian CW

Mr Kerry said that if Syria did not comply with the agreement, which must be finalised by the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), it would face consequences under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, the part that covers sanctions and military action.

There was no agreement on what those measures would be, but US president Barack Obama reserves the right to use military force in Syria, Mr Kerry said.

"There's no diminution of options," he told the press conference.

Mr Lavrov said of the agreement: "There [is] nothing said about the use of force and not about any automatic sanctions."

Mr Obama had threatened the use of force in response to an August 21 chemical weapons attack in Syria that US officials say killed about 1,400 people.

The United States has blamed Mr Assad's government for the attack, while Russia and Mr Assad say it was the work of rebel forces.

'No mention of accountability': Rebel chief

The head of the opposition Syrian Supreme Military Council says the US-Russian agreement will allow Mr Assad to escape being held accountable for killing hundreds of civilians with chemical weapons.

General Selim Idris says Mr Assad's forces started moving some of their chemical weapons to Lebanon and Iraq in the last few days to evade a possible UN inspection.

The assertion could not be immediately verified.

"All of this initiative does not interest us. Russia is a partner with the regime in killing the Syrian people. A crime against humanity has been committed and there is not any mention of accountability," he said.

Asked if rebel brigades would facilitate the work of any UN weapons inspectors, General Idris said: "This is very complicated ... If investigators come, we will facilitate the mission."

"In the regions under our control there are no chemical weapons," he said.

"I don't know if this will just mean that investigators will pass through the regions that are under rebel control. We are ready."

But another military council official, Qassim Saadeddine, said: "Let the Kerry-Lavrov plan go to hell. We reject it and we will not protect the inspectors or let them enter Syria."

Killing continues as warplanes strike Damascus

Loading...

Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, chemical weapons only account for around 2 per cent of deaths in a civil war in which 100,000 people have been killed.

On Saturday, Syrian warplanes struck against rebel-held suburbs of the capital Damascus and government forces clashed with rebels on the frontlines, according to residents.

The residents and opposition activists asked about the deal said that it would not benefit normal Syrians.

"The regime has been killing people for more than two years with all types of weapons," said an opposition activist in a rebel-held suburb of Damascus who uses the name Tariq al-Dimashqi.

"Assad has used chemical weapons six or seven times. The killing will continue. No change will happen.

"The most important point is the act of killing, no matter what is the weapon."

Syrian state media broadcast the US-Russian news conference live, indicating that Damascus is satisfied with the deal.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said earlier that a report by UN chemical weapons experts would confirm that poison gas was used in the August 21 attack.

Mr Ban also said that Mr Assad "has committed many crimes against humanity", although he did not say whether it was Mr Assad's forces or rebels who used the gas.

Reuters