United Nations inspectors in Syria are due to continue their investigation Tuesday at the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack, as international allies and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad weigh the merits and consequences of military intervention.
The U.N. team began its on-site work Monday in a suburb of Damascus, including taking blood samples from victims of the attack last week that activists and rebels blamed on Syrian forces. The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons.
U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said the inspectors were satisfied with their meetings with doctors and victims.
The investigators were delayed after unknown snipers damaged one of their cars in an area between those controlled by rebels and government forces. The two sides blame each other for the gunfire.
Meanwhile, Russia and Iran are warning of the drastic consequences for the region that would come with an outside military attack on Syria.
The foreign ministries from each country made the statements Tuesday, a day after officials from the United States, Britain, France and Turkey discussed the possibility of taking action in response to the chemical weapons allegations against Syria.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich cautioned against any action that bypasses the U.N. Security Council, and urged the United States and the entire international community to act within the U.N. charter.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said any action will be taken "in concert with the international community" and within the law.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday the West cannot find any evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. He accused those nations of "hysteria" and warned that any military action would be a "gross violation of international law."
VOA
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