By pmnews
World leaders at the G20 summit on Friday failed to bridge their bitter divisions
over US plans for military action against the Syrian regime, as Washington slammed
Moscow for holding the UN Security Council “ hostage” over the crisis .
Despite not being on the original agenda of the summit hosted by Russian President
Vladimir Putin outside Saint Petersburg , the leaders discussed the Syria crisis into
the early hours of the morning over dinner amid the splendour of a former imperial
palace.
Putin has emerged as one of the most implacable critics of military intervention
against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al - Assad over an alleged chemical
weapons attack on August 21 , saying any such move without UN blessing would be an
aggression.
There was no breakthrough at the dinner as leaders , including US President Barack
Obama, presented their positions on the Syria crisis which only confirmed the extent
of global divisions on the issue , participants said .
“The differences of opinions of the leaders were confirmed during the dinner , ”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies .
“Some states were defending the view that rushed measures should be taken ,
overlooking legitimate international institutions . Other states appealed not to
devalue international law and not to forget that only the UN Security Council has
the right to decide on using force , ” he added .
A high - ranking source close to the talks said there was a disappointing lack of
ambition at the dinner on the Syria issue, noting that Putin as host was keen not to
aggravate tensions further .
But a French diplomatic source said the objective of the dinner “ was an exchange
between the top world leaders and not to come to an agreement” .
The dinner went on into the small hours of the morning and even after a late - night
opera show , Putin and British Prime Minister David Cameron had a meeting to discuss
the Syria situation, the Kremlin said .
UN chief Ban Ki- moon Friday also warned that military strikes could spark further
sectarian violence in the country which he said is suffering from a humanitarian
crisis “unprecedented ” in recent history .
“I must warn that ill - considered military action could cause serious and tragic
consequences, and with an increased threat of further sectarian violence, ” Ban said .
The Syria crisis and prospect of military intervention has overshadowed the official
agenda of the summit of leaders of the world’ s top economies and emerging markets
to stimulate growth and battle tax avoidance.
It was not immediately clear if the leaders would have another chance to discuss
Syria on the summit’ s second day or if the main session would focus on purely
economic issues.
Several Western states share Putin ’ s opposition to military action and after the
British parliament voted against strikes, France is the only power to have vowed it
will join American intervention .
About third of Syria ’ s pre - war 20 .
8 million population has fled abroad or have been
forced from their homes during the popular uprising against President Bashar al -
Assad’ s regime which is now in its third year , UN refugee agency data showed .
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