Lavrov: US pressuring Russia into passing UN resolution on Syria under Chapter 7

[dipsydoodle]

The US is pushing Russia into approving a UN resolution that would allow for military intervention in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, in exchange for American support of Syria’s accession to OPCW.

“Our American partners are starting to blackmail us: ‘If Russia does not support a resolution under Chapter 7, then we will withdraw our support for Syria’s entry into the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). This is a complete departure from what I agreed with Secretary of State John Kerry',” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Channel 1's Sunday Time programme.

Chapter 7 of the UN charter would allow for potential military intervention in Syria.

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Slamming the West’s intervention in Libya and Iraq, the foreign minister stated that military intervention could only lead to a catastrophe in the region. Moreover, he stressed that if the West really was interested in a peaceful solution to the conflict that has raged for over two years, they would now be pushing for Syria’s entry into the OPCW in the first place, not for the ouster of President Bashar Assad.

http://rt.com/news/us-russia-syria-resolution-pressure-202/

[jakeXT]

1. Fool me Once

[dipsydoodle]

2. What I can't grasp

is the manner in which the US could withdraw support for Syria’s entry into the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) without making themselves look stupid.

[jakeXT]

3. Sending Russian troops could also complicate things

Mortar Hits Russian Embassy In Damascus

AMMAN, Jordan — A mortar round landed inside the Russian Embassy compound in Damascus on Sunday, state media said, as Moscow said it was willing to send military observers to secure Syrian efforts to surrender its chemical weapons to international control.

Russia is a leading backer of Syria's President Bashar Assad and rebels fighting to topple his regime have previously targeted the diplomatic mission in Damascus with rockets and mortars.

In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the attack, saying rebels fired mortars that landed on the grounds of their embassy. Three workers were injured in the attack, the ministry said, adding that the injuries were not life-threatening. It gave no further details.

The Russian Embassy is located in Damascus' upscale Mazraa district, which also houses several Syrian security institutions, a soccer stadium and nightclubs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/22/mortar-russian-embassy-damascus_n_3971848.html

[bemildred]

4. The chance to bomb someone is just very hard for us to give up. nt