In an interview published on Wednesday, President Vladimir V. Putin said it seemed “completely ridiculous” for the government of President Bashar al-Assad to have used chemical weapons and that there was still not sufficient proof to justify the military strike that President Obama has asked Congress to authorize.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/world/europe/putin-says-proof-of-chemical-arms-attack-not-enough-to-justify-us-attack.html?ref=world   Mr. Putin, speaking to The Associated Press and Russia’s government-controlled Channel One television network ahead of the Group of 20 summit meeting to be held this week in St. Petersburg, pointedly warned that an attack without authorization of the United Nations Security Council would be a violation of international law.
Mr. Putin expressed doubt about the evidence presented so far by Secretary of State John Kerry and said that more “convincing” results from United Nations inspectors was needed before considering the use of force. “We do not have exact details of what happened,” he said of the situation in Syria. “Is it a chemical weapon or just some chemical pollutants?”
He insisted, however, that it made no sense for Mr. Assad’s government to use chemical weapons given the likelihood it would provoke an international response.

“In our view, it seems completely ridiculous that the regular armed forces, who are actually on the attack and in some places have the so-called rebels surrounded and are finishing them off, that in these conditions” would use prohibited chemical weapons, Mr. Putin said, “understanding quite well that this could be a reason for sanctions on them, including the use of force. It’s just ridiculous. It does not fit into any logic.”

“I want to draw your attention to one absolutely fundamental fact,” he said. “In accordance with applicable international law, the authorization of the use of force against a sovereign state can only be given by the Security Council of the United Nations. Any other reasons, or methods, to justify the use of force against an independent and sovereign state are unacceptable and cannot be qualified as anything other than aggression.”

Mr. Putin said that if there is objective, conclusive proof of the use of chemical weapons, “then, there will be a reaction.” But he pointedly demanded to know what the United States would do if it turned out that the opposition rather than the Syrian government was to blame.

“If it is determined that these rebels used weapons of mass destruction, what will the United States do with the rebels?” Mr. Putin asked. “What will the sponsors of the rebels do? Stop the supply of arms? Will they start fighting against the rebels?”