U.S. officials: Use of force not expected in U.N. resolution on Syria

• WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States does not expect a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria’s chemical weapons to include a potential use of military force due to Russian opposition, senior Obamaadministration officials said on Friday.
• Their comments suggested Washington will not insist on including the use of force in the U.N. resolution.
• The officials, who briefed a group of reporters on condition of anonymity, said the United States would instead insist that the resolution include a range of consequences should Syria refuse to give up chemical weapons in a verifiable way.
• Those consequences could include sanctions, one official said.
• Independently of the United Nations, U.S. President Barack Obama has threatened the use of force in response to an August 21 chemical weapons attack in Syria that U.S. officials say killed around 1,400 people. Officials said he still retains that option.
• But as part of negotiations toward a U.N. resolution on Syria, the United States sees no benefit in trying to include the potential use of force as a consequence if Syria refuses to give up its chemical weapons.
• The reason is simply that Washington does not see Russia ever agreeing to such a step and could use its veto power to nix such a resolution, the officials said.
• The U.S. position reflected something of a concession as it relies on Moscow’s help to force Syria into an agreement to give up chemical weapons in a verifiable way.
• Key allies the United States, France and Britain are discussing what should be included in a draft U.N.Security Council resolution that would create the framework for verifying that the Syrian government lives up to its disarmament promises.