Douglas Alexander MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, responding to the agreement on a UN Resolution between the Permanent Members of the Security Council, said:

“A binding and enforceable UN Resolution clearly establishes the obligations on the Syrian regime to comply with the Convention on the use of Chemical Weapons and makes clear the steps Assad must now take to help rid Syria of chemical weapons altogether.

“If Assad is to comply with requirements that he eliminate his stockpile of weapons by mid-2014, agreement of a UN Resolution represents a crucial, but initial first step in a long and difficult process that must now take place in Syria over the months ahead.

“None of us could have predicted that the pause in plans for imminent military action last month would create a window allowing the deadlock in the Security Council on Syria and the use of chemical weapons to be broken - but we should all be grateful that it did.”