BBC News with Julie Candler.
Divisions over Syria remain as wide as ever at the end of G20 summit in the Russian city of St Petersburg. President Putin said most leaders at the summit were opposed to military action against President Assad, and he restated his belief that such intervention would be a breach of international law.
“The use of force against a sovereign state is possible only if self-defence is involved, but Syria doesn’t pose a threat to the United States. And second, under the mandate of the United Nations, as it was said yesterday by one of the participants of our discussions, those who act unilaterally violate international law.”
President Obama said there had been unanimity around the dinner table that the convention against the use of chemical weapons should be upheld, and that most people believe President Assad had been responsible for their use last month.
“Here in St Petersburg leaders from Europe, Asia and the Middle East have come together to say that the international norm against the use of chemical weapons must be upheld and that the Assad regime used these weapons on its own people, and that as a consequence, there needs to be a strong response.”
Eleven countries have condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria and said evidence clearly indicated that the government in Damascus had been responsible. In a statement, the countries including ten of those which attended the G20 summit, said the use of chemical weapons diminished the security of people everywhere. The signatories said that while they supported strong action by the UN Security Council, the world could not wait for endless failed processes that would only lead to increased suffering.