Russia and West clash over blaming Syria for chemical use

UNITED NATIONS – Russia clashed with Western nations Tuesday over a report blaming Syria for a deadly chemical weapons attack, with Moscow dismissing its findings as "mythical or invented" and the US backing its finger-pointing at President Bashar Assad's regime.

The debate in the Security Council during a meeting on the report reflected the sharp differences between Russia, Syria's most important ally, and Western countries that have backed Assad's opponents.

It also raised serious questions about whether the mandate of the experts who issued the report will be renewed -- and whether anyone in Syria will ever be held accountable for using chemical weapons, which are banned internationally.