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The president of the U.N. Security Council said Monday that many members are pressing to follow up on last week's resolution to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons with a demand that the government allow immediate access for desperately needed humanitarian aid. The Security Council had been effectively deadlocked on the Syria crisis for more than two years until it unanimously adopted a resolution Friday endorsing a U.S.-Russian plan to secure and destroy Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. Russia and China had cast vetoes three times in the past to block council action on Syria. But with Syria facing a U.S. threat of military action in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21 that killed hundreds of civilians in a Damascus suburb, Russia relented and let the anti-chemical weapons resolution pass -- with a key loophole. It called for consequences if Syria does not cooperate, but adopting sanctions or enforcement action would require the council to pass another sanction resolution, which Russia could then veto. Russia approved of the draft statement on humanitarian aid as well.

The statement would call for demilitarizing hospitals, schools and residential neighborhoods. It would condemn "increased terrorist attacks resulting in numerous casualties and destruction carried out by organizations and individuals associated with al-Qaida."