DAMASCUS, Syria — Russia insisted Tuesday that a U.N. Security Council resolution governing Syria’s handling of its chemical weapons not allow the use of force, but it suggested that could change if Damascus reneges on the deal to give up its stockpile.
The main Syrian opposition coalition, meanwhile, urged the international community to take swift action against the regime of President Bashar Assad in response to a U.N. finding that the nerve agent sarin was used in a deadly attack near the capital last month.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said his country “spoke clearly” about rejecting the use of force when the chemical weapons agreement was worked out Saturday in Geneva between Washington and Moscow. The plan calls for an inventory of Syria’s chemical weapons within a week, with all components of the program out of the country or destroyed by mid-2014.
But if signs emerge that Syria is not fulfilling the agreement or there are reports of further chemical weapons use, “then the Security Council will examine the situation,” Lavrov said.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said a resolution on the U.S.-Russia deal must be enforceable, telling reporters that the “most effective” way is under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. That deals with threats to international peace and security and has provisions for enforcement by military or non-military means, such as sanctions.
Lavrov made his remarks at a news conference in Moscow with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. France and the U.S. say a military option remained on the table, and they are pushing for the U.N. resolution to reflect that.
U.S. Mission spokeswoman Erin Pelton said the five permanent council members — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France — were meeting later on a draft resolution.
On Monday, U.N. inspectors confirmed that chemical weapons were used in an Aug. 21 attack near Damascus but did not ascribe blame.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry slammed the U.S., Britain and France for demanding that Assad step down, denouncing “their frantic quest to impose their will” on Syria.
“Assad is the legitimate president chosen by the Syrian people and will remain so as long as the Syrian people want this,” the statement said.
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