Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, greets his French counterpart
Laurent Fabius prior to their meeting in Moscow, Sept. 17, 2013.
September 17, 2013
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is hosting his French
counterpart Laurent Fabius for talks Tuesday as world powers try to come
to an agreement regarding the contents of a United Nations resolution
on the removal of Syria's chemical weapons.Russia has resisted a push by France, Britain and the United States to
include the threat of force if Syria does not comply. The U.S. and
Britain said Monday they want a strong resolution that sets precise and
binding deadlines for Syria to give up its chemical arsenal.
Tuesday's meeting in Moscow follows the release of a U.N. inspectors report citing "clear and convincing evidence" that deadly sarin gas was used on a relatively large scale in an attack last month near Damascus.
The report did not say who carried out the assault, but U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice said it reinforces accusations that only Syrian troops had the capability to do so.
France and Britain have also blamed the Syrian government, which denies the charges, saying it was rebels who used the chemical weapons. Russia has urged patience and for the allegations against opposition fighters to be taken seriously.
In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the evidence gathered by U.N. inspectors "indisputably" and "overwhelmingly" confirms the use of poison gas.
Ban, speaking after a closed-door briefing to the U.N. Security Council, described the attack as a war crime and said 85 percent of blood samples from the victims showed evidence of sarin gas. He also said recovered fragments from surface-to-surface delivery rockets showed sarin use "beyond doubt and beyond the pale."
The report itself cited survivors describing "a military attack with shelling," followed by an onset of symptoms including "blurred vision, nausea, vomiting and an eventual loss of consciousness."
Also on Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama signed an order allowing the U.S. government to provide training and equipment to help international groups and "vetted members of the Syrian opposition" protect themselves from a future chemical attack.
It tasks U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with reporting to Congress on proposed exports 15 days before authorizing them to go ahead. International organizations and opposition fighters may be able to get personal protective equipment and "defensive chemical weapons-related training."
Meanwhile, Turkey said it shot down a Syrian helicopter that had flown up to two kilometers into Turkish airspace and was given several warnings. Syria's military said the helicopter was mistakenly flying over Turkey, and called the Turkish response a "hasty reaction" that showed it is trying to escalate the situation along their shared border.
Tuesday's meeting in Moscow follows the release of a U.N. inspectors report citing "clear and convincing evidence" that deadly sarin gas was used on a relatively large scale in an attack last month near Damascus.
The report did not say who carried out the assault, but U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice said it reinforces accusations that only Syrian troops had the capability to do so.
France and Britain have also blamed the Syrian government, which denies the charges, saying it was rebels who used the chemical weapons. Russia has urged patience and for the allegations against opposition fighters to be taken seriously.
In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the evidence gathered by U.N. inspectors "indisputably" and "overwhelmingly" confirms the use of poison gas.
Ban, speaking after a closed-door briefing to the U.N. Security Council, described the attack as a war crime and said 85 percent of blood samples from the victims showed evidence of sarin gas. He also said recovered fragments from surface-to-surface delivery rockets showed sarin use "beyond doubt and beyond the pale."
The report itself cited survivors describing "a military attack with shelling," followed by an onset of symptoms including "blurred vision, nausea, vomiting and an eventual loss of consciousness."
Also on Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama signed an order allowing the U.S. government to provide training and equipment to help international groups and "vetted members of the Syrian opposition" protect themselves from a future chemical attack.
It tasks U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with reporting to Congress on proposed exports 15 days before authorizing them to go ahead. International organizations and opposition fighters may be able to get personal protective equipment and "defensive chemical weapons-related training."
Meanwhile, Turkey said it shot down a Syrian helicopter that had flown up to two kilometers into Turkish airspace and was given several warnings. Syria's military said the helicopter was mistakenly flying over Turkey, and called the Turkish response a "hasty reaction" that showed it is trying to escalate the situation along their shared border.
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