Russia presses UN to report on Syria military attack risks

Diplomats say that Russia is pressing the UN atomic agency to report on the nuclear risk of air strikes on Syria in efforts to stave off possible US attack. Two diplomats said Russian envoy Grigory Berdennikov urged action on an earlier request in comments today to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation board. A confidential letter from the Russian foreign ministry to IAEA chief Yukiya Amano obtained by The Associated Press on Monday warns of the ‘catastrophic’ consequences of a strike on a research reactor near Damascus. The diplomats, who were inside the closed meeting, demanded anonymity because they were not authorised to report on the discussion. The IAEA has said it is seriously assessing Russia’s significant request. 

China said Sunday that the Syrian issue should be dealt within the framework of UN Security Council (UNSC). During a state visit to Uzbekistan along with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed on the Chinese stance during a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Xinhua reported. The minister said the international community should abide by two principles on the Syria issue, namely adhering to the basic norms in international relations and rejecting any use of chemical weapons. That means the issue should be brought back to the framework of the UNSC, where relevant parties can seek consensus and formulate a proper approach, he added. Both as UNSC permanent members, China and the US should take the lead in upholding the UN Charter, it said.