BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Leaders of the world’s largest economies remain divided over what to do about Syria.

There’s general agreement that chemical weapons have been used in the conflict, in violation of a long standing international ban. But the words of the Russian and US Presidents at the end of the G20 summit in St Petersburg showed that there’d been little progress, if any, on reaching a consensus over foreign intervention.

A 20 minute private meeting not enough to put Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama on the same track over Syria.

Obama and Putin agreed to disagree but both said the meeting had been constructive.

Putin is adamant Russia will not be sucked into a war over Syria. And in a warning that could give some US congressmen cold feet, ahead of next week’s vote, Putin said Moscow would continue to support Damascus if an attack is launched.

Barack Obama acknowledged there are deep divisions both at home and abroad over his call for military action.

He refused to say if he would still act, even if Congress doesn’t back him.

But he continued to express confidence that the American public and lawmakers would listen to his argument.

The UK, Canada, France and Turkey all support Obama’s call for military action. However, France is so far the only country in the G20 to commit to joining an attack.

Washington is gearing up for a final vote in Congress, likely to be next week. But the US has so far been unable to win U.N. Security Council approval for military action. The results of a UN chemical analyses could be key, in either softening up Russia’s veto of any strikes or creating even more difficulties for Obama, in casting more doubt over US assertions that the Syrian government carried out the chemical attack in Damascus.

(Source: CNTV.cn)