Syria at top of G20 agenda

(Update)

Russia is playing host to an the economic summit of the world’s 20 richest economies this week.

But the reality is, much of the G20 summit will be overshadowed by the situation in Syria right now. Prime Minister Harper is there with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird. Baird is there for a series of sideline talks on Syria, but he’s doubtful there will be much if any progress on the civil war in Syria at the summit.

“Obviously, when you have this type of crisis with the use of chemical weapons, there’s no doubt that, in recent weeks, it has cast a shadow. I think what we hope to have is a good dialog on these issues, but we were coming, certainly I and the Prime Minister were very realistic that, at this forum, we weren’t likely to come to a conclusion.”

And while Baird doesn’t see much chance of reaching any kind of consensus on Syria at the G20 summit side meetings, in Washington Thursday night, the evidence is piling up that President Obama’s move to get congressional approval for a U.S. military strike on Syria could fail. Polls show a majority of Americans are united against the Obama plan and they’re letting Washington know. Steve Handelsman has more on the debate and dilemma.