UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Tuesday that any "punitive" action taken against Syria for an alleged chemical weapons attack last week could unleash more turmoil and bloodshed in that nation's civil war.
Ban also cautioned nations such as the United States and France that may be considering such strikes that they are legal only in self-defense under the UN Charter or if approved by the UN Security Council.
He said that if UN inspectors confirm the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the Security Council, which has long been deadlocked on the two-and-a-half-year Syrian civil war, should overcome its differences and take action.
"If confirmed, any use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances will be a serious violation of international law and outrageous war crime," he told reporters. "Any perpetrators must be brought to justice. There should be no impunity."
Russia and China have used their veto power in the council multiple times to keep it from taking action against Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.
U.S. President Barack Obama received key support from leaders in Congress on Tuesday for a potential strike.
Haaretz
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