The US President says Syria must face the consequences of the chemical attack it carried out on its people.

But, in an interview with PBS Newshour, Barack Obama made it clear that he hasn't yet made a decision on strikes.

Obama said his national security team have given him a number of options on how best to repond to the attack. 

His comments come as the UN Security Council debates a draft resolution, presented by the British, which would provide for all 'necessary means' to protect Syrian civilians.

President Obama says the US doesn't want to wage war with Syria, but a message needs to be sent that a second attack would be unacceptable.

The US President says he has shown great restraint on Syrian issues thus far, but has reminded his citizens that he warned evidence of chemical weapons use would be a red line issue for him all along.

In a message to President Bashar al-Assad, Obama told his PBS interviewees (what I) "...want them to understand, you are not only breaking international norms and standards of decency but you are also creating a situation where US national interersts are affected, and that needs to stop." 

In the UK, MPs return to Parliament early today to discuss Britain's response to the crisis.

But there will be no vote on British military action, after a political change of heart from Prime Minister David Cameron in the face of opposition from Labour and backbenchers.

A second vote will take place once a report by UN weapons inspectors has been published.

Britain's Foreign Secretary is William Hague:

A second vote will be held once the UN has considered a report from weapons inspectors.