Obama into the lion's den

US President Barack Obama faced growing pressure from world leaders not to launch military strikes in Syria yesterday at a summit on the global economy that was eclipsed by the conflict.

The Group of 20 (G20) developed and developing economies met in St Petersburg to try to forge a united front on economic growth, trade, banking transparency and fighting tax evasion.

But the club that accounts for two-thirds of the world's population and 90% of its output, is divided on issues ranging from the US Federal Reserve's decision to end its programme of stimulus for the US economy to the civil war in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to use the meeting in a seafront tsarist palace to talk Obama out of military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after a chemical weapons attack which Washington blames on government forces.

Obama wore a stiff smile as he approached Putin on arrival at the summit and grasped his hand. Putin also maintained a businesslike expression. It was only when they turned to pose for the cameras that Obama broke into a broader grin.

The first round at the summit went to Putin as China, the EU and Pope Francis - in a letter for G20 leaders - aligned themselves more closely with him than with Obama over the possibility and legitimacy of armed intervention.

"Military action would have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price - it will cause a hike in the oil price," Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao told a briefing.

The pope urged the leaders to "lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution".

He has also invited the 1.2 billion Catholics and people of other faiths to join him on Saturday in a day of fasting and prayer to end Syria's civil war.

EU leaders, usually strong allies of the US, described the August 21 attack near Damascus, which killed an estimated 1400 people, as "abhorrent" but added: "There is no military solution to the Syrian conflict."

Putin, Assad's most important ally, was isolated on Syria at a Group of Eight meeting in June, the last big meeting of world powers. He could now turn the tables on Obama, who recently likened him to a "bored kid in the back of the classroom".

Only France, which is preparing to join US military action, rallied behind Obama.

"We are convinced that if there is no punishment for Assad there will be no negotiation," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said before leaving for St Petersburg.

With backing from Beijing and Moscow unlikely in the UN Security Council, where both have veto powers, Obama is seeking the approval of the US Congress.

Putin says rebel forces might have carried out the poison gas attack and that any military strike without UN Security Council approval would violate international law, a view that is now increasingly being openly supported by others.

He has no one-on-one talks scheduled with Obama but hopes to discuss Syria at a dinner with all the leaders.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi were also in StPetersburg, hoping to secure agreement for the staging of an international peace conference on Syria.