As pressure builds for military intervention in Syria, Prime Minister John Key is refusing to comment on the possibility of New Zealand being involved, outside of a United Nations mandate.
Mr Key says it is horrific that chemical weapons have been used on civilians in Syria and New Zealand continues to urge the UN Security Council to send the strongest message possible to try to resolve the situation.
Mr Key says at this time, New Zealand considers that the right response is to work within the UN mandate.
But he refused to comment on any action that might not be sanctioned by the UN, saying he was not going to speculate on that.
Prime Minister John Key. Photo: RNZ
The Security Council is deadlocked on Syria and the United States and its allies could seek other means of legitimising any strike they launch.
United States Secretary of State John Kerry has made a strongly worded speech signalling the US is preparing some kind of military response to an apparent chemical attack in Syria.
He says it is undeniable that chemical weapons were used in the attack on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus, in which several hundred people were killed.
Mr Key says it may be inevitable that the US will have to step without the backing of the UN as Russia continues to insist there is no evidence of a chemical attack.
"The Russians have always ... resisted any attempts for the UN Security Council to have a universal mandate and I don't think you can rule out that they'll continue to resist that," he says.
Mr Key says the situation in Syria is serious and is getting worse.
