UN weapons inspectors back out on the ground in Syria knowing their job has just become even more crucial, gathering evidence where chemical weapons were deployed,killing civilian men, women and children.
But the UN still no unity on how to respond. The five permanent members of the Security Council considered the British sponsor resolution, condemning the atrocity, and urging action to protect civilians. The meeting lasted just half an hour before Chinese and Russian ambassadors left. Then fresh counterclaims about rebel chemical weapons attacks.
"These armed terrorist groups use sarin gas all these sights. And we repeat that the terrorist groupsare the ones who use them with American, British and French encouragement. This encouragement should stop."
If UN inspectors investigate those claims, they will need to stay longer, making imminent militaryactions against Syria less likely. And the UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon iscautioning against any immediate action.
"It isessential to establish the fact a United Nation investigation team is now underground to do just that. Just days after the attacks, they have collected valuable samples, and interviewed victims and witnesses. The team needs time to do its job."
The UN's envoys in Syria say some kind of chemical has been used and might have killed as many as thousands of people. But that doesn't automatically, he says, mean else choices.
"I think international lawyers are clear on this. International law says that militaryaction must be taken after the decision by the Security Council."
While China and Russia oppose any action, the process is effectively stalled. The chemical weapon's attack remains unpunished and for now there is little deterrence against it happening again.
