US -RUSSIA- HEADED FOR CLASH OVER GAS ATTACK PROBE

SYRIA : US -Russia headed for clash over Syria gas attack probe, in which at least 87 people including more than 30 children/students died.

The United States last Wednesday was headed for a showdown at the United Nations with Russia over extending an investigation to determine who is responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

The joint UN-OPCW  probe is set to present a report on October 26 on who was responsible and behind the sarin gas attack  in the village of  Khan Sheikhun, just weeks before the mandate expires in mid-November.

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has said that it wants to study the report on  Khan Sheikhun before deciding whether to support another one year mandate for the panel.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley pushed the Security Council  to vote on renewing the panel, known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism [JIM], before the report is released.

''The Russians have made it very clear that should the report blame the Syrians suddenly they won't have faith in JIM.

If the report doesn't blame the Syrians, then say that they will,'' Haley told reporters.

''We can't work like that.''

The United States circulated a draft last Wednesday that would renew the JIM for one-year and Haley said a vote should take place at the Security Council ''as soon as possible''.

Russia could decide to use its veto to block the draft resolution and effectively shutdown the investigation of deadly gas attacks in Syria.

'' That would be a shame''.