Ten non-permanent Security Council countries have circulated a compromise resolution demanding a full investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Syria in a move designed to avoid a clash with Russia.

The new text - the third now before the council on investigating the apparent gas attack - was presented ahead of a closed-door meeting of the 15-member council on Syria on Thursday evening.

The US, UK and France proposed a first draft resolution on Tuesday to condemn the attack and press Syria to cooperate with international investigators.

Russia said the text was unacceptable and proposed a rival draft that does not include specific demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation.
The draft by the non-permanent members is based on the first one, but drop demands that Syria hand over information on its military operations on the day of the strike, replacing them with language from a previous resolution urging cooperation on chemical weapons investigations, diplomats said.