Syria: Obama Presses Case For Action At G20

President Barack Obama has pressed fellow world leaders at the G20 summit to support a US-led strike on the Syrian regime.

But he ran into opposition from summit host Russia, China, and even the European Union at the two-day talks in St Petersburg.

The EU condemned last month's alleged chemical weapons attack in the Syrian capital Damascus but declared it too soon for military action.

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the summit sidelines, Mr Obama insisted: "The use of chemical weapons in Syria is not only a tragedy but also a violation of international law that must be addressed."

His diplomatic wrangling partly was intended to ratchet up pressure on politicians back in Washington as they debate authorising military action against Syrian President Bashar al Assad's regime.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a use-of-force resolution this week which limits initial strikes to 60 days but rules out "boots on the ground".

However, the proposal's prospects in the full Senate and the House of Representatives are uncertain.

The prospect of military action overshadowed the global growth agenda at the summit as the leaders discussed the civil war at a dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of the Syrian government's strongest supporters.

Shortly after his arrival in Russia, Mr Obama warned that the credibility of the international community is at risk and said it could not "be silent" in the face of the Syrian regime's "barbarism".

The summit comes against a backdrop of frosty relations between the US and Russia over Syria and other issues, such as whistleblower Edward Snowden.

A planned one-on-one meeting ahead of the G20 between Mr Obama and Mr Putin was scrapped when it became clear the pair would not find common ground over the alleged chemical attacks.

Mr Obama also plans to raise another area of disagreement - gay rights - when he meets on Friday in St Petersburg with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists.

However, both leaders smiled as Mr Putin welcomed Mr Obama at the start of the summit.

Speaking ahead of the G20, the US President said he had "hit a wall" with Mr Putin, who has warned that the use of force without United Nations approval would be an "aggression" and a violation of international law.

Mr Putin has said he will only support action if very strong evidence shows that the Syrian regime was behind the alleged August 21 gas attacks.

The US says more than 1,400 people died in the alleged gas attacks on the outskirts of Damascus, although other countries such as France have said the number is lower.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said as he arrived that millions of lives are being destroyed inside Syria by President Assad and his regime.

He pushed for a tough international response at the G20 summit, but risked being sidelined after losing a Commons' vote over UK military involvement.

French MPs have also been debating the prospect of supporting any US strikes, although they will not get a vote on the subject.

President Francois Hollande has the power to order short military action without parliamentary approval.