UN chief: New Syria resolution must be enforceable

UNITED NATIONS: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says a UN Security Council resolution that would approve a US-Russia deal to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons must be enforceable.
Ban told reporters Tuesday that the “most effective” way is under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. It deals with threats to international peace and security and has provisions for enforcement by military or non-military means such as sanctions.
While in principle all Security Council resolutions are legally binding, Ban said, “in reality, we need clear guidelines under Chapter 7.”
The US and Russia are arguing over putting the resolution under Chapter 7.
US Mission spokeswoman Erin Pelton said the five permanent council members — the US, Russia, China, Britain and France — met later in the day to discuss a French-drafted resolution on destroying Syria’s chemical weapons.
Ban Ki-moon also said he will press the foreign ministers of the five powers to take joint action on the Syria crisis at a meeting next week.
He said attacks with banned chemical weapons, which had led to threats of a US military strike against President Bashar Assad, was only the “tip of the iceberg” in the Syria crisis.
He told a press conference the major powers had to take a “broader” look at the 30-month-old Syrian conflict and tackle the general surge in fighting and the mounting refugee and humanitarian strife.
Ban is to meet separately with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss a possible peace conference to end what he called the “worst crisis we have experienced in many, many years.”
The talks with Kerry and Lavrov are expected on September 28.