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Britain to Wait on Weapons Report Ahead of Syria Strikes Britain to Wait on Weapons Report Ahead of Syria Strikes
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — The prospect of an imminent Western military strike on Syrian government targets appeared to encounter a delay on Wednesday when Britain signaled it would first await the findings of a United Nations inquiry into the suspected use of chemical weapons in a mass killing near Damascus, and would then hold a parliamentary vote, which could be days away. LONDON — The prospect of an imminent Western military strike on Syrian government targets appeared to encounter a delay on Wednesday when Britain signaled it would first await the findings of a United Nations inquiry into the suspected use of chemical weapons in a mass killing near Damascus, and would then hold a separate parliamentary vote, which could be days away.
At the same time the Syrian government, which has denied accusations by a range of Western and Arab countries that it had used the weapons in the Aug. 21 mass killing, moved abruptly to prolong the visit of the United Nations inspectors, announcing it had evidence of three previously unreported chemical weapons assaults that they should investigate. Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, who runs a coalition government, is facing political difficulties from legislators mindful of the experience in Iraq, when assurances from Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction proved inaccurate and a false pretext for war. Mr. Cameron bowed on Wednesday to pressure from the opposition Labour Party and some within his own coalition who want to allow United Nations weapons inspectors a chance to report their findings and for the United Nations Security Council to make one more effort to give a more solid legal backing to military action against Damascus.
Taken together, the developments had the effect of slowing, for the moment, the momentum for military action led by the United States and Britain. Both have said the evidence is already persuasive that the government President Bashar al-Assad of Syria used chemical munitions on civilians in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta last week, committing what the Obama administration has called a moral atrocity that cannot go unanswered. As Mr. Cameron ran into difficulties, the Syrian government, which has denied accusations by a range of Western and Arab countries that it had used the weapons in the Aug. 21 mass killing, moved abruptly to prolong the visit of the United Nations inspectors, announcing it had evidence of three previously unreported chemical weapons assaults that they should investigate, and which the government said had been carried out by insurgents. If the investigators look into those accusations, they could remain in Syria well past this weekend, beyond their original mandate.
While the United States could still act unilaterally, the Obama administration has actively sought to build a consensus for a military strike, and Britain is the closest American ally. The developments had the effect of slowing the momentum led by the United States and Britain for military intervention in the Syria conflict, which began more than two years ago as a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad and has since morphed into a civil war that has left more than 100,000 people dead and destabilized the Middle East.
The British signal that it would not rush to military action came late Wednesday when the government of Prime Minister David Cameron, aware of the sensitivities created by the rush to war in Iraq a decade ago, altered the language of a motion to be voted on by Parliament on Thursday so that a separate vote on military action would be required. That vote may not take place until next week. The American and British governments have said the evidence is already persuasive that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria used chemical munitions on civilians in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta last week, committing what the Obama administration has called a moral atrocity that cannot go unanswered.
The resolution states that “a United nations process must be followed as far as possible to ensure the maximum legitimacy for any such action.” The resolution also states that the secretary general “should ensure a briefing to the United Nations Security Council immediately upon the completion of the team’s initial mission.” The United States could still act without Britain, but the Obama administration has actively sought to build a consensus for a military strike, and Britain is the closest American ally. While expectations had been building that a strike could happen by the weekend, another few days may make no difference to what has been advertised as a short, sharp punishment for the use of chemical weapons, but not an effort at regime change.
Mr. Cameron’s pullback came as Britain moved to introduce a resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would authorize military action in Syria — a measure that Russia, the Syrian government’s most important backer, quickly signaled it would block. The British signal that it would not rush to military action came late Wednesday when the government of Mr.Cameron, aware of the sensitivities created by legacy of the runup to the Iraq a decade ago, said unexpectedly in a motion to be voted on by Parliament on Thursday that a separate vote on military action would be required. That vote may not take place until next week.
The motion text states that “a United Nations process must be followed as far as possible to ensure the maximum legitimacy for any such action.” The motion also states that the secretary general “should ensure a briefing to the United Nations Security Council immediately upon the completion of the team’s initial mission.”
Mr. Cameron’s pullback came as Britain moved to introduce a resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would authorize military action in Syria — a measure that Russia, the Syrian government’s most important backer, quickly signaled it would block, as it has done numerous times previously.
After an informal meeting among the five permanent Security Council members at the United Nations headquarters in New York, no further action on the British resolution was taken, and one Western diplomatic source said “this isn’t going anywhere.”After an informal meeting among the five permanent Security Council members at the United Nations headquarters in New York, no further action on the British resolution was taken, and one Western diplomatic source said “this isn’t going anywhere.”
The Russians argued that it was premature to even talk about such a resolution while United Nations inspectors were on the ground in Syria.The Russians argued that it was premature to even talk about such a resolution while United Nations inspectors were on the ground in Syria.
Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, added a new level of complexity to the issue on Wednesday, announcing that he had submitted evidence of three previously unreported instances of chemical weapons use in Syria, which he asserted had been carried out by Syrian insurgents. Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, added a new level of complexity to the issue, announcing that he had submitted evidence of three previously unreported instances of chemical weapons use in Syria, which he asserted had been carried out by armed terrorist groups, the government’s blanket term for Syrian opposition forces.
Mr. Jaafari said the new instances occurred on Aug. 22, 24 and 25, and were also in the Damascus suburbs. He said Syrian soldiers were the targets. The ambassador did not explain why he was only now bringing forth the allegations.Mr. Jaafari said the new instances occurred on Aug. 22, 24 and 25, and were also in the Damascus suburbs. He said Syrian soldiers were the targets. The ambassador did not explain why he was only now bringing forth the allegations.
“The Syrian government is requesting the secretary-general to immediately instruct the investigation team operating in Damascus to investigate immediately these three heinous crimes,” the ambassador said.
Mr. Jaafari repeated the Syrian government’s denials that it had ever used chemical weapons in the conflict and said the accusations were a conspiracy by Western nations acting on Israel’s behalf. He rejected assertions by the United States, Britain and other Western allies that there was persuasive evidence of Syrian government culpability in the use of the banned weapons.Mr. Jaafari repeated the Syrian government’s denials that it had ever used chemical weapons in the conflict and said the accusations were a conspiracy by Western nations acting on Israel’s behalf. He rejected assertions by the United States, Britain and other Western allies that there was persuasive evidence of Syrian government culpability in the use of the banned weapons.
“We are not warmongers,” he told reporters outside the Security Council chambers. “We are a peaceful nation seeking stability. The Syria government is totally innocent of these accusations.” “We are not warmongers,” he told reporters outside the Security Council chambers. “We are a peaceful nation seeking stability.”
In Washington, the State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, suggested that the failure of Britain’s Security Council resolution to move forward had been expected. In Washington, the State Department spokeswoman, Marie Harf, suggested that the failure of Britain’s Security Council resolution to move forward on Wednesday had been expected.
“All previous attempts to get the Security Council to act on Syria have been blocked, and we cannot allow diplomatic paralysis to be a shield for the perpetrators of these crimes,” she said. “We do not believe that the Syrian regime should be able to hide behind the fact that the Russians continue to block action on Syria at the U.N.”“All previous attempts to get the Security Council to act on Syria have been blocked, and we cannot allow diplomatic paralysis to be a shield for the perpetrators of these crimes,” she said. “We do not believe that the Syrian regime should be able to hide behind the fact that the Russians continue to block action on Syria at the U.N.”
In a separate declaration after discussions at NATO, the alliance’s secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, also sharply criticized Mr. Assad’s government, saying that “information available from a wide variety of sources points to the Syrian regime as responsible for the use of chemical weapons in these attacks.” Asked if the United States would await the findings of the United Nations inspectors, Ms. Harf repeated the administration’s assertions that their work was too late to be credible because the Syrian government forces repeatedly shelled the attack sites, compromising any effort to gather evidence.
“This is a clear breach of longstanding international norms and practice. Any use of such weapons is unacceptable and cannot go unanswered. Those responsible must be held accountable,” the statement added. But Mr. Rasmussen gave no indication that NATO was contemplating any specific action. “And we’re going to make our own decisions on our own timelines about our response,” she said. “Obviously, we will continue consultations with our international partners around the world, but we are making decisions based on our own timeline.”
Earlier Wednesday, Russian officials continued to warn against international intervention. The foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, spoke by telephone with the United Nations special envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, and warned that an attack “will only lead to the further destabilization of the situation in the country and the region,” according to a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry.Earlier Wednesday, Russian officials continued to warn against international intervention. The foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, spoke by telephone with the United Nations special envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, and warned that an attack “will only lead to the further destabilization of the situation in the country and the region,” according to a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry.
For his part, Mr. Brahimi told reporters in Geneva on Wednesday that international law required Security Council approval for any military action in Syria. Mr. Brahimi also said the United States and Britain had yet to share what they said was evidence that established Mr. Assad’s government had used chemical weapons.For his part, Mr. Brahimi told reporters in Geneva on Wednesday that international law required Security Council approval for any military action in Syria. Mr. Brahimi also said the United States and Britain had yet to share what they said was evidence that established Mr. Assad’s government had used chemical weapons.
In a further sign of mounting tensions, Russia’s Emergency Services Ministry said it was evacuating more Russians and citizens from other former Soviet republics from Syria, where Moscow maintains a naval base and where thousands of its citizens live after decades as the main international sponsor of the government in Damascus.In a further sign of mounting tensions, Russia’s Emergency Services Ministry said it was evacuating more Russians and citizens from other former Soviet republics from Syria, where Moscow maintains a naval base and where thousands of its citizens live after decades as the main international sponsor of the government in Damascus.
Russian special flights, sent to Syria with humanitarian supplies, returned with scores of Russians and citizens of Belarus and Ukraine. The Emergency Services Ministry said 75 Russians, along with nine people from Belarus and five from Ukraine, arrived in Moscow late Tuesday, while a second plane carrying 27 more Russians arrived on Wednesday morning.

Stephen Castle and Steven Erlanger reported from London, and Rick Gladstone from New York. Reporting was contributed by Michael R. Gordon from Washington, Alan Cowell from London, Steven Lee Myers from Moscow, Nick Cumming-Bruce from Geneva and Marlise Simons from The Hague.

Russia began evacuating its citizens from Syria in January. Since then 730 have left, most of them women and children. They are only a fraction of the more than 30,000 Russians who are believed to live in Syria, but in the wake of the attacks outside of Damascus, the pace of the evacuations appears to be increasing.

Stephen Castle and Alan Cowell reported from London, and Rick Gladstone from New York. Reporting was contributed by Michael R. Gordon from Washington, Steven Erlanger from London, Steven Lee Myers from Moscow, Nick Cumming-Bruce from Geneva and Marlise Simons from The Hague.