Kerry Rejects Assad's 30-Day Timetable

Update 2pm: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is rejecting Syrian President Bashar Assad's suggestion Thursday that he begin submitting data on his chemical weapons arsenal one month after signing an international chemical weapons ban.

Speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Kerry noted that Assad said a 30-day lead time would be standard.

"There is nothing standard about this process," Kerry said, because Assad has used his chemical weapons.

"The words of the Syrian regime in our judgment are simply not enough."

Kerry cautioned that a U.S. military strike could occur if Assad doesn't agree to dismantle his chemical arsenal properly.

He said, "There ought to be consequences if it doesn't take place."

Lavrov said the dismantling "will make unnecessary any strike against the Syrian Arab Republic."

An unlikely diplomatic partnership — between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov — will be showcased over the next two days in Geneva, where the two are tackling Syria's chemical weapons, and how to deal with them, in a series of high level meetings.

The two have met nearly a dozen times over the last year — even as relations between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have grown cold.

Obama has delayed a vote in Congress to authorize military force in Syria, as this new diplomatic possibility is explored.