The United States and Russia agreed upon a plan for the identification and seizure or destruction Syrian chemical weapons by next year, said U.S. Secretary of State, John F. Kerry on Saturday. Kerry announced the agreement at a news conference on Saturday with the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, following three days of discussion in Geneva between the two men. 

The first international inspection of Syrian chemical weapons is scheduled for November, and destruction of the weapons is scheduled to begin next year, according to Kerry. 

“Security will be a major worry for the inspectors who are tasked with implementing the agreement,” according to the New York Times. “No precedent exists for inspection, removal and destruction of a large chemical weapons stockpile during a raging civil war.”

The U.N. Security Council has issued a resolution that ensures serious consequences will follow if Syria fails to comply with the terms put forth by Russia and the U.S. Kerry did, however, make it clear that Obama retains the right to take military action, even without backing from the U.N., should he deem it necessary. 

Syrian compliance will soon be tested, as the first demand is for Syria to submit an accounting of its arsenal by next Friday.  

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, however, does not sound eager to comply with demands made by the United States, as long as American military action remains a possibility. 

"When we see that the U.S. genuinely stands for stability in our region, stops threatening us with military intervention and stops supplying terrorists with weapons, then we will consider it possible to finalize all necessary procedures and they will become legitimate and acceptable for Syria," said Assad. 

While details of the international inspection have not been finalized, this act of international diplomacy on behalf of U.S. and Russian foreign ministers shows promising signs for the strengthening of relationships between the two countries—even if President Putin did defriend President Obama on Facebook. 

Contact Executive Producer Sara Newman here and follow her on Twitter.