Politics

British Foreign Secretary Says Diplomacy Has Failed in Syria

|

Credit:Chatham House/wikimedia

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that diplomatic pressure on Syria has failed at that the U.K. is considering responding to the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria, adding that the U.K. and its allies could intervene without the United Nation's approval. Russia, one of Assad's strongest allies, has warned Western nations that intervention without a U.N. mandate violates international law. 

From the BBC:

Diplomatic pressure on Syria has failed and the UK is considering its response to a suspected chemical attack, Foreign Secretary William Hague says.

He told the BBC it would be possible for the UK and its allies to respond without the UN's unanimous backing.

In Syria, snipers fired at a convoy of UN inspectors heading to the site of the suspected attack, the UN said.

The PM is cutting his holiday short and is expected to hold a National Security Council meeting on Wednesday.

Downing Street said a decision on whether to recall Parliament would be made on Tuesday.

Last week Hague preempted any official confirmation that chemical weapons were used in Syria, saying that he believed that the recent massacre was conducted by Syrian forces and involved the use of chemical weapons. 

Over the weekend British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama released a joint statement threatening a "serious response" is it is confirmed that chemical weapons were recently used in Syria.