Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told China's state television in Damascus that he was "not concerned" about the draft resolution to place Syrian chemical weapons under international control, stating that China and Russia would ensure military action against Syria would not be implemented under the UN Security Council, according to Reuters.
Under the current draft resolution, possible measures for UN authorization for sanctions and military force under article 7 of the UN charter are included. Russia, an ally of Assad, has described this piece of the draft as US "blackmail." Envoys from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council have been discussing the draft over the past week, which Western powers hope will make the deal legally binding.
Assad further stated in the interview that Syria is and has always been committed to upholding the treaties it has signed. Syria has so far complied with the disarmament process outlined under the US-Russian deal, submitting information about its chemical weapons to Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) ahead of last Saturday's deadline.
President Assad told China TV that Syria has always been committed to upholding its treaties, and was "not concerned" with current UN talks about military force in Syria (AFP)
