Syria can still meet deadlines on chemical weapons - U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday said it was still possible for Syria to meet its obligations to remove chemical weapons.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the threat of military force against Syria was never taken off the table but that the United States prefers to pursue diplomatic means. Last year Washington had considered strikes to punish Damascus for using chemical weapons in its 3-year-old civil war.