UNSC Emergency Meeting on Chemical Attack in Syria's Idlib

The United States, France and the United Kingdom have introduced to the UN Security Council a draft resolution in connection with the reported use of chemical weapons in the Syria’s province of Idlib. Moscow categorically rejects the UN Security Council draft resolution on an alleged chemical attack in Syria's Idlib proposed by the UK, France and the United States, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

On April 4, the Syrian National Coalition of Revolution and Opposition Forces reported that some 80 people were killed and 200 others injured in a chemical weapons attack in Idlib. The opposition group blamed the Syrian army for the attack.

On January 20, Syria’s President Bashar Assad said that the country’s government had never used weapons of mass destruction, including the chemical weapons, against Syrian people. Assad recalled that in 2013, Damascus had agreed to destroy its chemical weapons warehouses and did not have such weapons stored.

The United States should show it is fully committed to solving the Syrian crisis, while Russia should exert stronger pressure on Damascus, French Ambassador to the United Nations Francois Delattre said Wednesday.

"We urge Russia to exert much stronger pressure on the regime, from a different perspective or in a different way, frankly. We also need an America that is seriously committed to a solution in Syria and that puts all its weight behind it," Delattre said.