U.S. urges U.N. action, Syria sees stalemate

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday urged for a binding U.N. resolution on Syria’s chemical weapons next week, as a senior Syrian official revealed that the country’s conflict has reached a stalemate.

Kerry said a “definitive” U.N. report has proved that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians in a Damascus suburb last month.

“Now the test comes. The [U.N.] Security Council must be prepared to act next week. It is vital for the international community to stand up and speak out,” he added, in statements carried by Agence France-Press.

Meanwhile, Syria’s deputy prime minister said Damascus believes the conflict has reached a stalemate.

Deputy Premier Qadri Jamil told Britain's Guardian newspaper the Syrian government would call for a ceasefire if long-delayed peace talks in Geneva were to take place.

“Neither the armed opposition nor the regime is capable of defeating the other side,” Jamil said.

When asked what his government would propose at the stalled Geneva-2 summit, he replied: “an end to external intervention, a ceasefire and the launching of a peaceful political process.”

(With AFP)