The U.N. Security Council could vote as early as Wednesday on a push by the United States, Britain and France to bolster support for international inquiries into a deadly toxic gas attack in Syria, diplomats said, a move Russia had deemed unacceptable and unwarranted.
The three countries have proposed a revised draft resolution, diplomats said, similar to a text they circulated to the 15-member council last week that condemns the April 4 attack and pushes Syria’s government to cooperate with investigators.
Western powers blame the sarin gas attack, which killed scores of civilians – many of them children, on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Syria’s government has denied responsibility for the attack, which prompted a U.S. strike on a Syrian air base.
The Security Council vote would come at the end of a visit to Moscow by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
A senior Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the most likely scenario appeared to be a veto of the U.N. resolution by Syrian ally Russia.
Russia said last week the draft resolution was unacceptable and unwarranted.
The U.N. Security Council could vote as early as Wednesday on a push by the United States, Britain and France to bolster support for international inquiries into a deadly toxic gas attack in Syria, diplomats said, a move Russia had deemed unacceptable and unwarranted.
The three countries have proposed a revised draft resolution, diplomats said, similar to a text they circulated to the 15-member council last week that condemns the April 4 attack and pushes Syria’s government to cooperate with investigators.
Western powers blame the sarin gas attack, which killed scores of civilians – many of them children, on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Syria’s government has denied responsibility for the attack, which prompted a U.S. strike on a Syrian air base.
The Security Council vote would come at the end of a visit to Moscow by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
A senior Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the most likely scenario appeared to be a veto of the U.N. resolution by Syrian ally Russia.
Russia said last week the draft resolution was unacceptable and unwarranted.
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