Heated UN meeting over US Syria air strikes

The UN Security Council has held a tense emergency session on the US
missile strike.

America and Russia, both permanent members of the international body,
again found very little common ground.

Nick Harper reports from the UN in New York.

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TAKE VO
For a third day running the UN Security Council clashed on Syria.
There were angry statements and heated exchanges as the US not just
defended its airstrikes, but threatened more.

SOT - Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN: "The United States took a
very measured step last night. We are prepared to do more. But we hope
that will not be necessary. It is time for all civilized nations to
stop the horrors that are taking place in Syria and demand a political
solution."

TAKE VO
Russia said America's decision was a "flagrant" "act of aggression".

SOT - Vladimir Safronkov, Russian Ambassador to the UN: "We strongly
condemn the illegitimate actions by the US. The consequences of this
for regional and international stability could be extremely serious."

TAKE VO
The US received support for the missile strike from several Council
members including the UK, France, Japan and Italy.
But China's representative cautioned dialogue over action.

SOT - Liu Jieyi, Chinese Ambassador to the UN: "Political solution is
the only way out for the Syria issue, military means will not work.
They will only worsen the suffering of the Syrian people."

TAKE VO
Perhaps the most forceful statement came from the country which called
this emergency meeting, Bolivia, saying America's unilateral action
violated international law and the UN Charter.

SOT - Sacha Sergio Llorentty Soliz, Bolivian Ambassador to the UN:
"While we were just discussing the need for an independent
investigation into these attacks the United States has become that
investigator, the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury."

TAKE VO
With the US strike now dominating, the Council is still yet to issue a
statement condemning Tuesday's chemical weapons attack. Friday's
emergency meeting at the UN was meant to discuss a possible an
investigation into the alleged chemical attack. The U.S. military
strike on a Syrian government airbase on Thursday dramatically changed
the discussion. And it also further polarized opinions in the already
fractured UN Security Council.

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