UN: Obama's bid to Congress on Syria part of push for consensus

US President Barack Obama's decision to seek congressional approval for possible military action against Syria can be seen as part of an effort to forge a global consensus on responding to the use of chemical arms anywhere, the UN said on Sunday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon views Obama's decision "as one aspect of an effort to achieve a broad-based international consensus on measures in response to any use of chemical weapons," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. (Reuters)