Core of Syria UN resolution agreed by US, Russia and other powers

The United States, Russia, France, China and Britain have agreed on the core of a UN Security Council resolution to rid Syria of its chemical weapons, two diplomats said tonight.

The agreement came after the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the council met UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier in the day, the diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

They said a draft resolution could be presented to the full 15-nation council soon and the five permanent members would also meet on Friday to discuss a proposed Syria peace conference in Geneva.

Earlier today UN chemical weapons inspectors returned to Syria to continue investigating allegations of chemical weapons use in the country’s two-and-a-half-year conflict.

A convoy of five United Nations cars carrying at least eight members of the team arrived at a central Damascus hotel shortly before midday (9am Irish time), witnesses said.

The inspectors confirmed last week that sarin gas was used in an attack in Damascus which killed hundreds of people.

President Bashar al-Assad’s Western opponents said the inspectors’ report left little doubt that his forces were to blame for the attack.

Syrian authorities denied the accusation, saying it made no sense for them to wage an attack with chemical weapons when their forces were making advances and while the inspectors were staying just a few miles away in the centre of the capital.

Russia has also said the inspectors’ report did not provide irrefutable proof that Assad’s forces were responsible, and that Damascus had provided information it said showed rebels were behind the attack.

At the time of the August 21st sarin attack, the inspectors had been in Damascus preparing to investigate three earlier cases of suspected chemical weapons use, including one in March in the northern town of Khan al-Assal.

Reuters