UNITED NATIONS, United States Envoys from Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — the permanent veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council — will meet Wednesday to discuss the situation in Syria, diplomats said.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said earlier in the day that the failure to halt atrocities in Syria had become a new stain on the reputation of the world body and the Security Council powers.
France, Britain and the United States on Tuesday pressed for a tough Council resolution that would impose tough consequences should Damascus fail to hand over control of its banned chemical weapons.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it would be “unacceptable” for the 15-nation council to pass a text that puts the blame on President Bashar Assad for an August 21 attack in the Damascus suburbs.
A Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday was canceled at the last minute at Moscow’s request.
UN Council permanent members to meet on Syria: diplomats
