This strategic approach should not come as a surprise.   Telling Obama to stop hostilities is all part of the Russian/Syrian approach.    The international case, which will win in the court of the U.N and public opinion, will be: why should Assad disarm from CW when Obama is funneling in weapons to anti-government forces to destroy Assad?
This simple ‘anti-Obama action message’ is not only practical, but it will also resonate internationally.   President Obama will have to stop threats against Syria, pledge no military strikes against Assad, and stop weapons shipments into the country; or Assad will be justified in rebuking the administration demands. 
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syria will fulfil an initiative to hand over its chemical weapons only when the United States stops threatening to strike Syria, RIA news agency quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying in a television interview.

Assad also said that Damascus will begin handing over information on its chemical weapons stockpiles one month after it joins a anti-chemical weapons convention.
“When we see the United States really wants stability in our region and stops threatening, striving to attack, and also ceases arms deliveries to terrorists, then we will believe that the necessary processes can be finalized,” he was quoted as saying in an interview with Russian state television.  (read more)