Russia warns West over Syria action

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West yesterday
against any unilateral action on Syria after President Barack Obama
said US forces could act if the Syrian leader deployed chemical
weapons againstrebels trying to topple him.
Lavrov met China's top diplomat and a Syrian government delegation
inwhat appeared to be a push to keep diplomacy going at a time when
fewer Western and Arab governments believe that a UN-backed peace plan
can end the violence in Syria.
Russia and China have opposed military intervention in Syria
throughout 17 months of bloodshed and have vetoed three UN Security
Council resolutions backedby Western and Arab states.
Lavrov spoke at a meeting with China's State Councillor Dai Bingguo
one day after Obama, in some of his strongest language yet, said US
forces could move against Syrian President Bashar Assad if he resorted
to chemical weapons against insurgents.
Russia and China base their diplomatic cooperation on "the need to
strictly adhere to the norms of international law and the principles
contained in the UN Charter, and not to allow their violation," Lavrov
said during his meeting with Dai.
"I think this is the only correct path in today's conditions," Lavrov told Dai.
Lavrov's remarks also underscored Moscow's wish to keep
internationalefforts to end Syria's crisis within the United Nations.
Obama said on Monday he had refrained "at this point" from ordering
military engagement in Syria. But when asked whether he might deploy
forces, for example to secure Syrian chemical and biological weapons,
he said his view could change.
Russia has also expressed concern about Syria chemical weapons,
sayingit had told Damascus that even the threat to use them was
unacceptable.
But Lavrov said on Monday that the Security Council alone could
authorise the use of external force against Syria, warning against
imposing "democracy by bombs."
To help counter Assad's superior firepower, Western powers are giving
non-lethal equipment to rebels and Saudi Arabia and Qatar are believed
to have funded arms shipments tothem.
After the talks with Dai, Lavrov met a Syrian government delegation.
Lavrov said he was interested in hearing"plans for further actions to
shift the situation into the channel of a political dialogue in order
for Syrians themselves to decide their fate without external
interference."
Lavrov said the path to a solution in Syria lay in thehalt to fighting
by both the government and its foes.