UN Security Council to debate Syria action

(Updated) While United Nations chemical weapons experts resume their inspection of areas hit-hard by an alleged chemical weapons attack last Wednesday in Syria that killed hundreds of people, the UN Security Council prepares for a heated debate on foreign intervention.

New amateur video out of Syria claims to show UN chemical inspectors in the Damascus suburbs interviewing and taking biological samples from victims of last week’s alleged chemical weapons attack. This is the second day the team conducted an on-the-ground investigation into allegations Bashar al-Assad’s regime killed hundreds with a chemical attack.

The UN Security Council is expected to debate a resolution today brought forward by Britain, that would authorize the use of military force in Syria. However, secretary general Ban Ki-Moon is calling on world leaders to wait four days for the investigation to be completed before making any moves.

“Dialogue and political solution, that is the most important approach. That is why the United Nations has been making necessary preparations for a Geneva II political conference and I sincerely hope that this will be convened as soon as possible. There is no time to lose.”

Canadian foreign affairs minister John Baird is set to meet with the head of the Syrian national council this afternoon in Montreal. Prime minister Stephen Harper’s office says it’s premature to discuss roles that Canada could play in a military operation.