Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West against taking one-sided action in Syria, but also said Russia “doesn’t exclude” supporting a UN resolution on punitive military strikes if it is proved Damascus used poison gas on its own people.
Mr. Putin said it was “ludicrous” the government of Mr. Assad — a staunch ally of Russia — would use chemical weapons at a time when it was holding sway against the rebels.
AP Photo/Alexander ZemlianichenkoRussian President Vladimir Putin.
“From our viewpoint, it seems absolutely absurd that the armed forces — the regular armed forces, which are on the offensive today and in some areas have encircled the so-called rebels and are finishing them off — that in these conditions they would start using forbidden chemical weapons while realizing quite well that it could serve as a pretext for applying sanctions against them, including the use of force,” he said.
The Russian president said the U.S. had failed to make its case against Syria through the proper channels.
“If there is evidence that chemical weapons have been used, and used specifically by the regular army, this evidence should be submitted to the UN Security Council,” said Mr. Putin, a former officer in the Soviet KGB.
“And it ought to be convincing. It shouldn’t be based on some rumours and information obtained by intelligence agencies through some kind of eavesdropping, some conversations and things like that.”
Barack Obama warned Wednesday that the credibility of the international community was on the line over the Syria crisis as he said the world had to stop paying “lip service” to its obligations on chemical weapons.
Setting out the rationale for military action, Mr. Obama said it was not him but the world that had drawn a “red line” against chemical weapons use.
Asked about his past comments, Mr. Obama said that line had already been drawn by a chemical weapons treaty ratified by countries around the world.
My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line
“That wasn’t something I made up,” he said, speaking in Sweden before he attends a Group of 20 economic summit in Russia Thursday.
“I didn’t set a red line; the world set a red line,” said Mr. Obama. “My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line. And America and Congress’s credibility is on the line because we give lip service to the notion that these international norms are important.”
He pointed out the governments of 98% of the world’s population had passed a treaty forbidding the use of chemical weapons.
“Congress set a red line when it ratified that treaty,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment