United States President Barack Obama has been cornered at the G-20 summit in St Petersburg with his attempt to get support from other world powers for a military intervention in Syria's civil war getting backfired after several world leaders, especially Russian President Vladimir Putin opposed the plan.
The US is facing mounting pressure to avert the launch of military attacks in Syria, with Russia, China, the European Union, the BRICS and Pope Francis warning of the consequences of a military intervention without the approval of the United Nations (U.N) Security Council.
Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, on Friday said that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told leaders at the summit that any military action against Syria should be under the UN framework.
Echoing the need for UN Security Council backing, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told world leaders over the dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin to "remember everday that we lose is a day when scores of innocent civilians die. There is no military solution."
"Military action would have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price - it will cause a hike in the oil price," Reuters quoted Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao as saying.
Obama has blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the gruesome 21 August chemical attack in Damascus that killed more than 1,400 people. He has got the backing from France and has asked the US Congress to approve military action against Syria. He also reportedly told the prime minister of Japan on the sidelines of the G-20 summit that use of chemical weapon is a violation of international law that should be addressed.
However, Moscow argued that the chemical attack could be carried out by the rebels. Many world leaders also doubt if Bashar al-Assad's forces were behind the the ghastly attack.
Will Obama Order Military Strikes Without UN Backing?
With Russia blocking UN Security Council resolution to condemn Syrian government on the chemical attack, not once but thrice by using its veto power, the US is now determined to overlook Security Council's approval, accusing Moscow of holding the council hostage.
"In the wake of the flagrant shattering of the international norm against chemical weapons use, Russia continues to hold the council hostage and shirk its international responsibilities, including as a party to the chemical weapons convention," said US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.
"Our considered view, after months of efforts on chemical weapons and after 2-1/2 years of efforts on Geneva (peace talks), the humanitarian situation is that there is no viable path forward in this Security Council," she added, hinting that the US is willing to act outside Security Council following the deadlock in bringing concensus among world leaders on military intervention on Sysia.
"Unfortunately for the past 2-1/2 years, the system devised in 1945 precisely to deal with threats of this nature did not work as it is supposed to," Power went on to say. "It did not protect peace and security for the hundreds of Syrian children who were gassed to death on August 21."
The UN sent a high-profile team led by Swedish neurobiologist Dr Ake Sellstrom to Syria on 18 August to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons in the country. However, their focus shifted to the 21 August attack considering the devastating effect it had.
The world's apex body received at least 14 reports of possible chemical weapons use in Syria, according to reports.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
