A cohesive global response to the chemical weapons attack in Syria failed to come to fruition. Three separate draft resolutions were rejected at the United Nations Security Council. Natasha Hussain has the details.

Rival US and Russian resolutions to determine responsibility for the chemical attack in Syria suffered defeats recently at the UN Security Council. Moscow accused Washington of pushing for a vote as a pretext for possible use of force against Syria.

VASSILY NEBENZIA RUSSIA'S PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UN "If you took the decision to carry out an illegal military adventure - and we do hope that you will come to your senses - well then you will have to bear the responsibility for it yourselves. What you are trying to do is plant this resolution into the Security Council, something that has been on the shelf for a long time, in order to find a pretext."

While the US, in turn, blamed Russia for harboring Bashar al-Assad.

NIKKI HALEY US PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UN "And when the people of Douma along with the rest of the international community looked to this Council to act, one country stood in the way. History will record that. History will record that, on this day, Russia chose protecting a monster over the lives of the Syrian people."

12 of the 15 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the US draft resolution. Russia vetoed it. While the Russia resolution failed to pass, as it received six votes in favor and seven against, with two abstentions. A resolution at the Security Council needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, France, Britain or the United States to pass. A veto can only be cast if a draft wins at least nine votes. Apart from those two draft resolutions, Russia also asked the council to vote on a second draft resolution. It aimed to support sending investigators from the global chemical weapons watchdog to the site of the deadly attack. But that failed to pass the threshold of nine. China said on Wednesday it was "regretful", and urged action.

GENG SHUANG, SPOKESPERSON CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY "We call on all relevant sides to exercise restraint and keep calm, and refrain from doing anything that could escalate tension. What is pressing now is to launch an all-round, objective and fair investigation into the suspected chemical attack and get to the bottom of the incident."

UN chief Antonio Guterres also voiced concern. He stressed the Security Council's five permanent members on "the need to avoid the situation spiralling out of control".