Britain says it plans to introduce a U.N. Security Council resolution Wednesday that condemns the alleged chemical attack by Syrian forces and authorizes "necessary measures to protect civilians."
A United Nations team investigating the attack near Damascus resumed its work Wednesday, a day after postponing its on-site investigation because of security concerns.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the U.N. Security Council to "find unity" on the situation in Syria, and said the U.N. team in Syria needs time to do its work.
Mr. Ban said in a speech Wednesday in The Hague that the latest escalation in Syria has caused "horrendous casualties" and produced images unlike any the world has seen this century. He strongly criticized the use of chemical weapons, saying any deployment, at any time, under any circumstances would represent "an atrocious violation of international law."
Syria has denied carrying out a chemical attack.