Impending Syria strike: UN chief questions legality of plan

The UN leader suggested that a military strike on Syria could worsen the country’s conflict.

UNITED NATIONS:

In his remarks that appear to question the legality of US plans to strike Syria without UN backing, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that the use of force is only legal when it is in self-defence or with UN Security Council authorization.

The UN leader suggested that a military strike on Syria over the use of chemical weapons could worsen the country’s conflict.

But Ban also insisted that the bitterly divided major powers on the UN Security Council have a “collective responsibility to humankind” to unite and halt the use of chemical weapons.

Without opposing any military strike that the United States and some of its allies are considering, Ban urged caution.

“We must consider the impact of any punitive measure on efforts to prevent further bloodshed and facilitate the political resolution of the conflict,” Ban told a press briefing at the UN headquarters.

“Everything should be handled within the framework of the United Nations Charter,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2013.