Russia says calls for a strike on Syria are an Ëœundisguised challengeâ„¢ to the United Nations Charter and international law.
The Russian Foreign Ministry quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov as saying, Å“Declared plans by some states to inflict a military strike on Syria are an undisguised challenge to the key provisions of the UN Charter and other norms of international law.”
Gatilov made the comments during a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at The Hague on Wednesday.
On August 28, Russia said that it was too soon to mull results yet to be released by a team of UN chemical weapons inspectors currently investigating an alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria last week.
Å“At this stage it is necessary to use political and diplomatic instruments to the maximum, first and foremost by letting the UN experts inspecting possible chemical weapons use in Syria complete their mandate and report the results to the UN Security Council,” Gatilov stated.
The call for military action against Syria intensified after the militants operating inside Syria and the foreign-backed Syrian opposition claimed on August 21 that hundreds had been killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar.
Damascus has categorically rejected the allegations.
Since August 27, speculations became stronger about the possibility of a military attack on Syria. Media outlets reported US plans for likely surgical attacks, which would be in the form of Å“cruise-missile strikes,” and Å“could rely on four US destroyers in the Mediterranean [Sea].” The plan was said to be awaiting US President Barack Obamaâ„¢s go-ahead.
Moscow is expected to block any UN Security Council resolution aimed at approving military intervention in Syria.
However, US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said that Washington would even be willing to carry out an attack against Damascus, without the approval of the UN or its allies.
SZH/HSN
Republished from: Press TV