'Report will affect UN meeting'

Tuesday's UN report on the use of chemical weapons in Syria exerts "significant impact" on the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on a resolution on Syria, a Chinese expert said on Tuesday. "Due to the report, the consultations might lead to stricter restrictions on Syria," said Qu Xing, president of the China Institute of International Studies.

However, he stressed that the report does not fundamentally change the situation.

"Before the report was released, the US, Britain and France have taken moves based on the logic that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons," Qu said. "So the report has just partially confirmed their presumption. And actually they have already moved ahead of the report."

He said that while the UN report did not identify who was responsible for the attacks, the report's statement that rockets were used suggests to him that the Syrian government may be responsible. Qu said the report will not bring about peace in Syria.

"First, it does not rule out the possibility of attacks on Syria. Security Council consultations based on the report are likely to lead to a decision citing Chapter VII of the UN Charter," he said.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/18/2013 page11)