US, Russia agree on Syria UN chemical arms measure

Ending weeks of diplomatic deadlock, the US and Russia reached an agreement last night on a draft UN Security Council resolution aimed at ridding Syria of its chemical weapons arsenal.

Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said a deal was struck with Russia "legally obligating" Syria to give up its chemical stockpile and the measure would go to the full Security Council later last night. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said an "understanding" had been worked out.

The US had been negotiating on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with Russia, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's major ally. The aim was to craft a measure to demand the destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal in line with a US-Russian deal reached earlier this month that averted American military strikes on Syria in the midst of Syria's civil war.

Western powers on the Security Council backed away from many of their initial demands, diplomats say, in order to secure Russia’s approval.

Sticking point
A major sticking point between Russia and Western powers was whether the resolution would be under Chapter 7 of the UN charter, which covers the council's authority to enforce its decisions with measures such as sanctions or military force.

The compromise draft resolution makes the measure legally binding but provides for no means of automatic enforcement with sanctions or military force.

Originally, the United States, Britain and France had wanted the resolution to state explicitly that it was under chapter 7.

The only reference to enforcement in the draft is a threat that if Syria fails to comply with the resolution, the council would impose punitive measures under chapter 7, which would require a second resolution that Russia could veto.

A US State Department official hailed the deal as a “breakthrough.”

“The Russians have agreed to support a strong, binding and enforceable resolution that unites the pressure and focus of the international community on the Syrian regime to ensure the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons,” the official said.

The UN Security Council was to hold a closed-door session to debate the issue at 1am Irish time. A vote on Thursday was not expected, one diplomat said.