U.S. Won’t Insist U.N. Resolution Threaten Force on Syria, Officials Say

[ProSense]

U.S. Won’t Insist U.N. Resolution Threaten Force on Syria, Officials Say

By PETER BAKER

WASHINGTON — President Obama will not insist on a United Nations resolution threatening to use force to ensure that Syria lives up to its commitment to turn over chemical weapons, but will seek other tangible consequences for Syria if it does not comply, senior administration officials said Friday.

Although Mr. Obama reserves the right to order a punitive military strike on his own without United Nations backing if Syria reneges, the officials said he understood that Russia, because of its veto power in the Security Council, would never allow a resolution that authorized such a use of force.

France, which has been America’s strongest ally in the push to punish Syria for an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack on civilians, this week proposed that a Security Council resolution invoke Chapter 7, a clause that allows United Nations members to use military action to enforce its provisions. Mr. Obama essentially is conceding that he cannot overcome Russian opposition, but he believes that a resolution must have teeth in it, and he will not agree to Syria’s demand that he renounce force altogether.

Instead, the officials said, the Obama administration will seek a Security Council resolution that builds in other measures to enforce a deal with the government of President Bashar al-Assad, possibly including sanctions or other penalties. The administration will give negotiations now under way with the Russians a couple of weeks to see if they have any traction.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/14/world/middleeast/us-wont-insist-un-resolution-threaten-force-on-syria-officials-say.html

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Great news - hopefully it will be enough to overcome Russian concerns.