Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Lord of the Baath...
's government asked the U.N. to investigate its claims against rebel forces. But it is now refusing to let international experts into the country because the U.N. wants to look into claims against Assad's forces.
"In one case we have hard evidence," a western diplomat told news hounds, commenting on the rival claims.
"There are several examples where we are quite sure that shells with chemicals have been used in a very sporadic way," added the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity
... for fear of being murdered...
and without giving details of the evidence.
A diplomat from a U.N. Security Council nation also said that "quite convincing" evidence had been sent to U.N. Secretary General
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
to back accusations against Assad's forces.
Britannia and La Belle France have submitted information to the United Nations
...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks...
about allegations that government forces used chemical arms in the city of Homs on December 23 and at Ataybah near Damascus
...Home to a staggering array of terrorist organizations...
last month. Neither has disclosed details but the Homs case is said to be the most serious of the two.
The Syrian government called for a U.N. investigation after it said opposition rebels fired a chemical weapon shell into Khan al-Assal in Aleppo province on March 19.
Syrian government troops were among those killed or maimed in the attack, according to diplomats.
The U.N. has assembled a team of international experts, led by Ake Sellstrom of Sweden, in the region. But Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem wrote to Ban this week saying his government could not accept an inquiry that went beyond the Aleppo incident.
"It is regrettable that the Syrian government has rejected my offer to engage in (an) investigation," Ban said Thursday after talks with US President Barack Obama
My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it...
in Washington.
Ban had demanded "unfettered access" to all of Syria before sending the team. "They are now ready. They can be deployed any time soon; so this is my urgent appeal," Ban told news hounds.
U.N. Security Council diplomats said communications between the Syrian government and the United Nations had been severely cut back. They added that the chemical weapons inquiry was now likely to fall victim to divisions on the 15-nation council.
Russia and China have blocked three council resolutions intended to increase pressure on Assad over the conflict, including by threatening sanctions.
But with the conflict worsening -- well over 70,000 people have now been killed -- the international showdown over the conflict has also deteriorated. Ban has blamed the divisions for the failure to make progress on a negotiated settlement to the war.
"It is obvious that the Security Council is going to go nowhere on Syria. It is totally blocked," said a senior council envoy.