West 'must avert danger of war' over Syria attack, says Russia

The Russian ambassador to the United Nations has urged the US and its allies not to take military action over the apparent chemical attack in Syria, saying the immediate priority was to “avert the danger of war”.

International tensions have spiked over the attack, with Washington holding Russia partially culpable for what they believe is the use of chemical weapons on the town of Douma by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Moscow has backed Syria in denying allegations of the attack, and Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said he “cannot exclude” war between the US and Russia if President Donald Trump uses missile strikes on Syria, as he has threatened.

“The immediate priority is to avert the danger of war,” Mr Nebenzia said after a behind-closed-doors meeting of the UN Security Council. “We hope there will be no point of no return.”

He added that the presence of Russian troops in Syria, with Moscow backing the government of Mr Assad in the country’s civil war, meant that the world was facing a dangerous situation.

Pressure has been mounting for a coordinated international response, with Mr Trump putting himself front-and-centre on Wednesday in tweeting missiles “will be coming”. On Thursday, in an early tweet, the president made it clear he was still assessing what action to take. “Never said when an attack on Syria would take place,” he tweeted. “Could be very soon or not so soon at all!” He added.

Speaking later from the White House he said: “We'll see what happens. Now we have to make some ... Decisions, so they'll be made fairly soon.”

In the wake of a meeting between Mr Trump and his national security team on Thursday afternoon, the White House said no final decision has been made over what to do regarding Syria, and that the president was still assessing intelligence and speaking to international partners.

Mr Nebenzia has called for another emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday to hear from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on threat to international peace and security from possible military action against Syria by the US and its allies.

Both Theresa May and French president Emmanuel Macron have said that they are working with Mr Trump to craft a response. Mr Macron has declared that France has “proof” that Mr Assad’s government was behind the attack in Douma, which is believed to killed dozens of people.

“We have proof that last week ... chemical weapons were used, at least with chlorine, and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad,” Mr Macron said. “We will need to take decisions in due course, when we judge it most useful and effective,“ he told broadcaster TF1.

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Emmanual Macron says France has prood the Assad used chemical weapons in Syria
According to reports by NBC News, US officials are in possession of samples of blood and urine from victims of the attack which suggested the presence of both chlorine gas and an unnamed nerve agent. Two unnamed officials told the outlet they were “confident” in the intelligence, though not 100 per cent sure.

A team of inspectors from international watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was on its way to Syria on Thursday to begin an investigation into the suspected chemical weapons attack.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that it was obvious that Mr Assad’s government had not eradicated all its chemical weapon stocks, as mandated by a 2013 agreement brokered by Russia - which averted possible strikes by both the US and France

“We... must now acknowledge that it is obvious that the destruction was not completely carried out,” Ms Merkel said, noting that there is “strong evidence” that Damascus deployed the chemical weapons, but she ruled out being involved in any military action.

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Back in Washington, US Defense Secretary James Mattis told Congress that he believes there was a chemical attack in Syria, but he has concerns over the use of military force.

Mr Mattis, addressing a hearing of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, declined to discuss US military planning on Syria, but acknowledged his two main concerns over military action: protecting civilians and avoiding triggering a military escalation that gets “out of control.”

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“I believe there was a chemical attack and we are looking for the actual evidence,” Mr Mattis said. He added that the use of chemical weapons was “inexcusable” and claiming that with Russia blocking action being taken by the UN Security Council the US “can sit acquiescent or do something about it.”

US House Speaker Paul Ryan said that Mr Trump has the authority to take action against Syria under Congressional legislation and was against changes to legislation that “ties the hands” of the US military.

He added that the US has an “obligation” to lead an international response to the apparent chemical attack and that president Trump was being “deliberate and careful” in weighing up his options.

Agencies contributed to this report

More about: Donald TrumpSyriaDoumaFranceRussiaUNVassily Nebenzia

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COMMENTS
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48 Comments
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Denverboy
2 hours ago
Well the sad fact here there has to be some Intelligence in the White House in order to assess intelligence given to them by various sources and they have to actually understand the nuances of what they are looking at .. Bombing Syria and running the real risk of directly killing Russian soldiers and or destroying Russian hardware could set off a real risk of War with Russia in the Middle East .. This is why Obama's response was so incredibly measured and largely ineffective .. No one wants War with Russia over Syria but clearly some kind of Response from the West is warranted . Putin does the world no favors by covering for Syria in the face of a Chemical Weapons attack . It makes Russia and Syria both look like the Criminals they actually are ... I fear Trump will use this opportunity to WAG THE DOG so to speak ... A diversion from lets say his rather deep ,pressing and self made Domestic constant crisis ... the wrong response or botched response could be a real game changer for the entire globe .. Trump should leave the response in the hands of the DoD or Joint Chiefs and or Congress . There may be other ways to punish Syria besides blowing something up ... and or killing a bunch of people
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General Incompetence
5 hours ago
What is interesting about all of this talk regarding chemical weapons and the OPCW is that there are only 4 nations in the entire world that have not signed and/or ratified membership to the OPCW which is tasked with regulating the CWC: Egypt, South Sudan, North Korea and Israel. It is widely known that Israel does have a chemical weapons operation much like their nuclear program. Why the pass for Israel in the corporate/state media on such belligerent willfulness?

Also interestingly, Iran has a history of being one of the staunchest friends of the OPCW, having been victimized by chemical weapons in the Iran-Iraq War. It was, in fact, Iranian scientists that first discovered the spectral data for Novichok and then submitted it to the OPCW so that their efforts to accurately detect these nerve agents could be greatly enhanced. Prior to 2016 no nation had bothered to do that.

Meanwhile, Macron's government domestically is dealing with rampant strikes through several industries, May's Tories are resoundingly ham-fisted and unpopular perpetually spewing out the latest Vogon poetry in their cabinet meetings, and then there is the government of the United States which, well, you know.

At this point any of the so called "leading governments" of the world including Russia, China, the EU/Germany, UK, USA and so forth have pretty well and good given up the seat of legitimacy to the corrupt goals of power mongering via one means or another - social, economic, militant. Why is Israel allowed such a pass on their belligerence but Russia is singled out and demonized. None of the global actors can withstand the spotlight when it is shone singly upon them. Why does the media pick sides and omit healthy historical perspectives when so much suffering is on the line? How much more ignorance, incompetence and corruption can we stand when the bucket is already brimming? Oy vey.
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Andyrab
11 hours ago
I couldn't personally care if they gas all the terrorists that will not stop fighting. If it was happening in UK, for sure we would do everything possible to flush them out. What bothers me is that the UK, US and France seem determined to kill hundreds more people, just because they lost in Syria. Maybe next they will want to go back to Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and anywhere else they lost face, to bomb the civilians there too. It is sickly and sad that the UK government and US government seem to be beyond the rules and regulations imposed by the UN. France says that it has proof, but I doubt it. Probably the white helmet terrorists told Macron that it was true, and it was everything he could have wished for. Russia is in Syria legally. The French, Americans and British are there illegally and supporting terrorism. Nothing else is really relevant and they spend all the time blinding people with souped up news reports of babies dying, to avoid facing the truth. We have no right to be there.
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USA#1
10 hours ago
As a US soldier, I'd pay money to cross you on the battlefield pu$$y
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oefarmy2005
7 hours ago
As a US soldier, I'd kick your ass for being a moron and mindless cattle without a single thread of logic in your brain. Do people like you ever ask themselves, how in the world does the "confirmed" chemical attack makes any logical sense for Assad. Look at the f'n map and how much land Assad has gained back with Russian support over the last three years. Not to mention the fact that anti-government combatants were allowed to leave the area and were(and still are) leaving the area of Duma. Tell me, how in the world is poisoning of Skrypal make any sense for Russia? He literally had no secrets to tell that he couldn't have told over the last 8 years he's lived in the UK. These are all false flag operations. I don't know how you can trust our government after what happened in Iraq. Libya was also proven to be an absolute utter lie. I joined after 911 happened and I was proud to protect our country from terrorists, but the other military campaigns since than have made zero sense and were all conducted under false pretenses. Russia meddling in the US elections is a joke, because there is ZERO proof. Nobody cares about what the DNC documents that were released stated. That proved that our government is corrupt at the in the highest layers possible, to the point that our votes literally don't matter. I will also add that the US "meddles" in literally every election in literally every country in the world. The American and western society in general, doesn't need any due oprocess anymore to make accusations. Why are we trying to spread "democracy" to the world when we don't wont anything to do with said "democracy" as far as our foreign policy and international relations are concerned. What does "democracy" have to do with world domination that we have almost achieved and are trying to achieve. Imperialism and dictatorship(that's what the US is to the world, a dictator that dictates where and how high everyone can jump) has nothing to do with democracy. We have lost our way and only people that don't know how to use their brain can't see that.
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Denverboy
2 hours ago
USA#1 .... A myopic responses to a rather complicated question is the reason we are fighting Terrorist in the Middle East in the first place .There has to be some other thought beside point and shoot that goes into decision making otherwise your looking at WW III in no time flat .. and in that war you need not pay ANY money to be a part of the battlefield . It all comes to your backyard in a blinding flash ... Tough guy . 0 thought=massive destruction on a global scale ..... So much for just point and shoot without a moment of Reflection
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RiteLeft
11 hours ago
This is ironic to say the least. Trump was in part elected because his knuckle dragging supporters argued that Hillary was for going to war with Russia over Syria and Trump wasn't.
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USA#1
10 hours ago
get with the program loser...it's a coalition of governements...not the US
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Hermes_73
12 hours ago
I think the Independent needs to delete several thousand Kremlin-linked fake user accounts like it's been done at Facebook.
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RiteLeft
11 hours ago
Please don't. One of the reasons I come on here is to have a good laugh at the comments these useful idiots post for their Russian masters.
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USA#1
10 hours ago
Understand that there are many of us out here that agree with you, but simply don't post. Indy better do something about this or the underground will.
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PhanHat
13 hours ago
We're sooooo scared Putang
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Great bitten1
15 hours ago
Three incompetent world leaders taking us to the brink of war. All three have 'won' elections arguable dubiously and without true popular support.
This 'democracy' stuff stinks, flawed and based media hype.
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GarryO
14 hours ago
I agree with what you say regarding the incompetence of Assad, Putin, and Rouhani but would argue that there isn't much 'democracy' in their respective countries.
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ravioliollie
13 hours ago
I think yo are partly correct. Although the real undemocratic country not named is the u.s.
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GarryO
13 hours ago
@rav

How is the US undemocratic out of interest?
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GarryO
14 hours ago
What you really mean is that 'democracy' stinks when it doesn't give you the result you personally want don't you?
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SamuiBP
12 hours ago
GarryO - The US is an oligarchy with bought and paid for 'representatives' and kabuki theatre elections that change very little. Technically it is a republic, not a democracy anyway, but in truth you have two parties with little difference between them and policies that are designed to enrich the wealthy and their corporations. Try reading the joint Princeton/Northwestern study from 2014 and other similar findings rather than parroting Fox news soundbites.
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Traveller
15 hours ago
The Kremlin’s claim that there are no oligarchs in Russia has resonated with only 3 percent of the population, according to a state-run poll.
An overwhelming 94 percent of Russians surveyed by the state-controlled VTsIOM pollster said that they believe that their country does have oligarchs.

Yeah the Kremlin is lying about that too they always are.
What's new?
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Tigs
16 hours ago
Free people of the world take note: the insidious Russian gangster state is cyber savvy and poisons (apparent) free debate everywhere. Many of the comments on here are surely Kremlin propoganda. Speak out at your peril: they can get to anyone with a drop of Novichok. Maybe I will be next...
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staysharp51
16 hours ago
The bully has been itching to put his finger on that big beautiful button since day 1 of his Presidency. Not just satisfied with chaos in the White house he's bringing chaos to the whole world
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ravioliollie
13 hours ago
Well said. But, we are the world's "peacekeepers", are we not?
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emmah