Rasmussen criticizes UNSC inaction on Syria

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has reiterated that the Alliance has no plans for action in Syria and criticized the United Nations Security Council for inaction. "I regret strongly that the international community, embodied in the UN Security Council, has not managed to reach an agreement that could send a very strong message to the leadership in Damascus," he told the Brussels Forum, late on Friday. "I really believe that the lack of unity at the UN Security Council has sent a very unfortunate message to the leadership in Damascus, so they have concluded that they could continue their crackdowns on the civilian population, " he added. Rasmussen also outlined plans for the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago in May, saying that the main theme will be boosting transatlantic relationships. Brussels Forum is an annual conference on transatlantic relations, organized by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. It is attended by American and European politicians and officials, parliamentarians, academics and journalists.