UN resolution could sanction Syrians for chemical attacks

The Associated Press reports: A draft U.N. resolution obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press would impose sanctions on 11 Syrians and 10 Syrian organizations and companies allegedly involved in chemical weapons attacks in the war-ravaged country.

The proposed Security Council resolution, drafted by Britain and France, would also ban all countries from supplying Syria’s government with helicopters, which investigators have determined were used in chemical attacks.

The resolution follows a joint investigation by the United Nations and the international chemical weapons watchdog that determined the Syrian government was behind at least three attacks involving chlorine gas and the Islamic State group was responsible for at least one involving mustard gas.

The United States, Britain and France have been pressing the council to impose sanctions on the Syrian government for using chemical weapons. Previous council resolutions call for “measures” under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which authorizes sanctions, if chemical weapons are used.

But Russia, Syria’s closest ally, has repeatedly questioned the conclusions linking chemical weapons use to the regime of President Bashar Assad reached by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism, known as the JIM. [Continue reading…]

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