It will take one year and 1 bn to destroy chemical arms,says Assad

His latest appearance came as UN envoys debated a draft resolution that would enshrine a joint US-Russian plan to secure and neutralise his banned weapons in international law.

The plan is to be discussed at a meeting in The Hague on Friday by the worlds chemical weapons watchdog,the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Assad insisted in the television interview that his forces had not been behind an August 21 gas attack on the Damascus suburbs that killed hundreds of civilians,but vowed nevertheless to hand over his deadly arsenal.

It was his second interview this month with US television,and one of a series of meetings with West journalists to counter mounting pressure from Western capitals.

After last months barrage of sarin-loaded rockets,which the West says was clearly launched by the regime,US President Barack Obama called for US-led punitive military strikes. But with US lawmakers and the Western public not sold on the virtues of another Middle East military adventure,Assads ally Russia seized the opportunity to propose a diplomatic solution.