The UN doesn't need action from the US to investigate because there are already mechanisms in place to investigate chemical weapons use in Syria. Russia maintains Syrian President Bashar Assad's opposition is responsible for the chemical weapons. "There is a low level of trust between our two countries," Tillerson said candidly. Until the chemical attack, the Trump administration had sought to step back from the US position that Assad should leave power. Tillerson said Syria's government had committed more than 50 attacks using chlorine or other chemical weapons over the duration of the conflict.

Source: Bangkok Post April 12, 2017 19:52 UTC