U.S. France, Britain propose U.N. resolution on Syria gas attack

[webfact]

U.S. France, Britain propose U.N. resolution on Syria gas attack

By Michelle Nichols

REUTERS

 

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and France on Tuesday proposed a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn a suspected deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria, which diplomats said would likely be put to a vote on Wednesday.

 

The three countries blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces for the attack, which killed dozens of people. The Syrian military denied responsibility and said it would never use chemical weapons.

 

U.N. Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura said the "horrific" chemical attack had come from the air.

 

The draft text, seen by Reuters, says Syria's government must provide an international investigation with flight plans and logs for Tuesday, the names of all helicopter squadron commanders and provide access to air bases where investigators believe attacks using chemicals may have been launched.

 

It asks U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to report monthly on whether the Syrian government is cooperating with an international investigation and a fact-finding mission into chemical weapons use in Syria.

 

The draft resolution "expresses its outrage that individuals continue to be killed and injured by chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic, and expresses its determination that those responsible must be held accountable."

 

It was not immediately clear how Russia, an ally of Assad, and China would view the move.

 

In February, Russia, backed by China, cast its seventh veto to protect Assad's government from council action, blocking a bid by Western powers to impose sanctions.

 

The Security Council is due to be briefed on the suspected toxic gas attack on Wednesday.

 

An investigation by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 and that Islamic State militants had used mustard gas.Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington.

 

The Security Council backed that deal with a resolution that said in the event of non-compliance, "including unauthorized transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone" in Syria, it would impose measures such as sanctions.

 

The draft resolution proposed on Tuesday recalls that decision.

 

The Hague-based OPCW set up fact-finding mission in 2014 to determine cases where chemical weapons had been used in Syria.

 

The U.N. Security Council then established a joint team of U.N. and OPCW investigators in 2015 to assign blame in cases where the fact-finding mission had determined chemical weapons had been used.

 

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-05

[tukkytuktuk]

A wicked act of evil. The use of chemical weapons must be stopped. You must watch the YouTube videos on this. Worst video I've seen in a long time. You can see why there's a big uproar and disbelief. Evil 100%.

Oh and why do I suggest you watch? So you can see what man can do to his brother. Just like why schools teach children about the Holocaust. So it never happens again.

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, tukkytuktuk said:

A wicked act of evil. The use of chemical weapons must be stopped. You must watch the YouTube videos on this. Worst video I've seen in a long time. You can see why there's a big uproar and disbelief. Evil 100%.

Oh and why do I suggest you watch? So you can see what man can do to his brother. Just like why schools teach children about the Holocaust. So it never happens again.

 People never learn, history has been repeating itself down through the millenia.

[SiSePuede419]

If Russia vetoes this one, I think we can all understand their "moral values". ?

[dunroaming]

Well taking out Assad would be the quick fix but who is going to do that?

[craigt3365]

25 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

If Russia vetoes this one, I think we can all understand their "moral values". ?

How many have they already vetoed? They'll veto this one also.  If implemented, these UN resolutions could have potentially helped out a lot.

[elgordo38]

UN resolution=toothless tiger. blah blah blah and bah humbug.

[geriatrickid]

<snip: hidden post removed>

Please elaborate or are you just looking to get your jollies from a war crime?

Syria may have used  poison gas, but it obtained the  resources from its strategic allies of Hizbollah of Lebanon, Russia, North Korea and indirectly  through the gray market of chemicals through   the usual brokers for profit  found in India, Singapore, China and Hong Kong. The precursors are routed through Africa and Cyprus and make their way in through one of the  usual portals in Lebanon. This is why Israel has been bombing various  shipments of missiles and other war material  shipped to and from lebanon.

 

I sincerely doubt Iran would be involved, as they know  what poison gas can do and suffered after iraq gassed  them.

[Srikcir]

16 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

If Russia vetoes this one, I think we can all understand their "moral values". ?

There is no "if" with the Russians.

According to Trump, Russian moral values are the same as the US. So I don't think we'll see Trump even mention the Russians but has immediately blamed Obama.

[Morch]

On 4/5/2017 at 5:29 PM, craigt3365 said:

How many have they already vetoed? They'll veto this one also.  If implemented, these UN resolutions could have potentially helped out a lot.

 

UNSC resolutions can fall under several chapters. If I read correctly, the Russians are objecting to a resolution which would include a condemnation (with or without non-binding measures). Don't think anyone seriously imagines a binding operative resolution containing actual steps is possibility.