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             UN Security Council to Consider UN Resolution on Syria

   The United States and Russia have struck a deal on a U.N. Security
   Council draft resolution demanding Syria give up its chemical weapons.
   The 15-member body held an urgent, closed-door meeting late Thursday to
   consider the draft. Diplomats say a vote could happen by late Friday.
   Moscow, Syria`s main ally, and Washington have disagreed for weeks over
   how to ensure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad complies with the
   disarmament plan.
   U.S. officials praised the text as legally binding and enforceable,
   though it does not include an automatic trigger for enforcement if
   Syria does not comply, as the White House had wanted.
   Instead, the draft says the Council could hold a second vote to impose
   measures under Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which allows for
   possible economic sanctions or military action.
   The text says non-compliance includes "unauthorized transfer of
   chemical weapons or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in the Syrian
   Arab Republic," including both Mr. Assad`s government and rebel forces.
   President Assad agreed earlier this month to give up his chemical
   weapons, following threats of U.S. military strikes in response to a
   poison gas attack on a rebel-held suburb last month that killed
   hundreds.
   Mr. Assad denies carrying out the attack. He and his Russian allies
   instead say rebels trying to overthrow his government carried out the
   chemical attack. The U.S. says the attack killed 1,400 people.
   The draft agreed to Thursday would ban Syria from possessing chemical
   weapons. It also condemned "in the strongest possible" terms the August
   21 attack and says the use of such weapons anywhere is a threat to
   international peace and security.
   Though the draft`s language is not as strong as the U.S. and its
   Western allies on the Security Council had wanted, its passage would
   break a two-and-a-half-year deadlock at the world body.
   Russia and China, both permanent members of the Council, have already
   vetoed three bills that would punish Mr. Assad`s government.
   The conflict, which began as a mostly peaceful uprising against Mr.
   Assad`s government, has killed over 100,000 people.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/un-security-council-to-consider-un-re
   solution-on-syria/1758147.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/un-security-council-to-consider-un-resolution-on-syria/1758147.html