Privately, UN talks begin on Syria chemical arms

[ellenrr]

Source: AP

Tense negotiations have begun on a proposed U.N. resolution that would put Syria's chemical weapons under international control and end a diplomatic stalemate over a deadly Aug. 21 poison gas attack, a French official said Wednesday.

The plan for Syria to relinquish its chemical weapons, initiated by Russia, appeared to ease the crisis over looming Western strikes against Bashar Assad's regime in Damascus, only to open up new potential for impasse as Moscow rejected U.S. and French demands for a binding U.N. resolution with "very severe consequences" for non-compliance.

The French official close to the president, who spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations remained sensitive, said Russia objected not only to making the resolution militarily enforceable, but also to blaming the Aug. 21 attack on the Syrian government and demanding that those responsible be taken before an international criminal court.

Wary of falling into what the French foreign minister called "a trap," Paris and Washington are pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution to verify Syria's disarmament. Russia, a close ally of Syrian leader Bashar Assad and the regime's chief patron on the international stage, dismissed France's proposal on Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/10969537

[ellenrr]

1. some background to this

"France to seek tough UN resolution on chemical weapons"

"France will on Tuesday night propose a resolution to the UN security council aimed at forcing Syria to make public its chemical weapons programme, place it entirely under international control and dismantle it, or face "extremely serious consequences".

The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said France had reacted with "interest but also with caution" to the Russian proposal that Syria place its weapons under international control.

Paris, still wary of falling into a trap or "diversionary" tactic, had therefore decided to push immediately for a UN resolution under chapter 7 of the UN charter which would make "concrete" the notion of the Syrian regime opening up its chemical weapons arsenal for inspection and dismantlement, Fabius said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/10/syria-conflict-france-un-resolution-chemical

[Laelth]

2. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[andym]

3. Indicting and the bringing those responsible for the attack before the International Criminal Court

Last edited Wed Sep 11, 2013, 05:33 PM - Edit history (1)

is a good idea. The evidence for an indictment would have to be made public, and using chemical weapons is a violation of international law, so the international court is appropriate. If evidence shows the rebels were responsible (as Russia believes), they get indicted; if the evidence points to officials of the Syrian government (as the US, UK and France believe), they get indicted. If the evidence is too weak for indictments, then no one gets indicted.

[arewenotdemo]

4. And while we're at it, let's also investigate and prosecute whichever nations

and Heads of State are responsible for the illegal arming and training of rebels fighting in Syria.