Britain to submit resolution to UN Security Council over Syrian chemical claim

Britain will submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council seeking to authorize "necessary measures" to protect civilians in the wake of alleged chemical weapon attacks in the country, Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday.

"Britain has drafted a resolution condemning the attack by the Assad regime, and authorizing all necessary measures under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter to protect civilians from chemical weapons," a statement released by Downing Street read.

It said Cameron has also called on the UN Security Council to "live up to its responsibilities."

The resolution will be put forward at a meeting of the permanent members of the Security Council later on Wednesday in New York.

Cameron held a further discussion with U.S. President Barack Obama late on Tuesday about the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria.

"Ahead of today's National Security Council (NSC), it was an opportunity for the PM to hear the latest U.S. thinking on the issue and to set out the options being considered by the government," a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Both leaders agreed that "all the information available confirmed a chemical weapons attack had taken place, noting that even the Iranian President and Syrian regime had conceded this" and "they were in no doubt that the Assad regime was responsible."

However, Cameron confirmed that the British government had not yet taken a decision on the specific nature of the response, but that it would be "legal and specific to the chemical weapons attack.