The UN Security Council is going to discuss a new draft resolution on Syria. The text of the resolution has not been finalized yet. The UK and France demand that the resolution allow military intervention in Syria if the country's government doesn't stick to the international plan aimed at destruction of the Syrian chemical arsenal.
Vestnik Kavkaza discussed the situation surrounding the international initiative and the challenges Syria may face while trying to implement the plan with President of the Middle East Institute Yevgeny Satanovsky and fellow of the Issues of Non-Proliferation initiative Pyotr Tolychkanov.
Pyotr Tolychkanov believes that it's better to destroy Syrian chemical weapons on site. According to the expert, transportation of these weapons is too risky, that is why it would be wise to build the necessary facilities near the chemical depots.
Tolychkanov also says that Russia will not support Assad if the UN experts find out that the Syrian authorities were responsible for the recent chemical attacks. The most important thing now is to guarantee that such attacks won't be launched again, he says.
Yevgeny Satanovsky stresses the chemical weapons issue is used by such countries as Turkey to overthrow Bashar Assad. "That's a key project for Recep Tayyip Erdogan and those who are lobbying for a war in Syria," he says.
He agrees with Tolychkanov that Russia should prevent new chemical attacks rather than support Assad, but stresses that Western powers are trying to depose the Syrian government.
It's very hard to cooperate with countries that don't share our principles, he says.
