A visitor to Tauranga is encouraging those against the United States initiative on Syria's government to join a rally in the city this Saturday.

Organiser Colin Thew, who is house-sitting in Tauranga for a month, is instigating the rally as he believes the US entering Syria will not solve the conflict in the Middle Eastern country.

Tauranga visitor Colin is leading a rally against war be waged in Syria at Red Square this Saturday from 11am.

The two-and-a-half-year conflict in Syria recently elevated when news surfaced alleging Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government forces used chemical weapons in an attack near the city of Aleppo in March defected to Turkey.

Today, the NZ Herald is reporting US President Barack Obama's plan to conduct military strikes on Syria passed its first congressional hurdle, paving the way for a full Senate debate on the use of force.

According to the United Nations, almost one-third of the country's population has fled their homes during the civil war.

Colin admits he doesn't know a lot of background to the Syrian situation, 'but I believe it is so wrong that America is going to invade them”.

'It's basically a replica of what happened in Iraq. It's America going in. We know now from Iraq that it was based on lies and there were no weapons of mass destruction [in that country].”

'America is going in [to Syria] without any evidence that the Syrian government has killed their own people – we don't actually know the truth – and bombarding the country is not helping anyone.

'It's my own personal belief that it's all part of America's plan for global dominance, which I think is so wrong.”

This Saturday's rally comes after a similar rally was staged last weekend, with Colin saying he has been asked to organise both events by Nelson woman Gina Pig, who has set up a Facebook page called ‘No War with Syria Rally Tauranga NZ'.

With rallies happening in Coromandel, Tauranga, Auckland and Nelson last weekend, Colin is hoping to get more people to join in Tauranga's rally this Saturday – set for 11am – taking place with others set for the same time around the country.

'I'm hoping people will bring placards and signs for the event, which is to be a peaceful rally.”

Colin, who also helped organise a rally years ago in Dannevirke to oppose the war in Iraq, also hopes this weekend's rallies spread around the country.

'I'm very concerned [about a war in Syria], I think the consequences of when – not if – America goes into Syria are going to be quite dire for the Middle East and for the world generally,” says Colin.

'We just don't know where this will end…and it's a scary thought of where this could lead to.”

While pictures being streamed worldwide of Syrian people suffering highly concern Colin, he thinks it is up to the United Nations to get people on the ground there to help.

'I really don't what the answer is – but it has got to come through the UN and not from American bombs.”

'There's millions of refugees, and a lot of unnecessary suffering, which we don't what the cause of it is, but the solution isn't American bombs.”

The NZ Herald is reporting a divided Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved an amended resolution 10-7 - that would authorise US military intervention with a 90-day deadline and bars American boots on the ground for combat purposes.

Senate leaders have said the full chamber will debate and vote next week on authorisation of the use of force in response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's apparent use of chemical weapons against his own people.

The House of Representatives, where a tougher vote is expected, will begin consideration next week, but its leaders have not announced timing of a vote.

'What we've done today is a step in the right direction,” said Senator Dick Durbin.

It is also being reported Downing Street is indicating British Prime Minister David Cameron could return to the House of Commons with a proposal for Britain to arm Syrian rebel forces.

Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesperson Phil Goff says New Zealand should be urging Russia and the United States to agree on a common response to the crisis in Syria at tomorrow's G20 meeting.

'The meeting in St Petersburg provides an opportunity for both countries to agree on effective action to require Syria to destroy its chemical weapons, and to begin negotiations to end the conflict.

'President Putin is now claiming that if there is evidence the Assad regime was responsible for the poison gas attack, Russia would support action against Syria.”

Phil says the US should front up with the evidence it says shows the chemical weapons rockets were fired by the Syrian Government.

'The Russians in return need to commit to starving the Assad regime of the weapons and financial support it needs to continue the war against its own people.

'Both Russia and the US have ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention and condemn the use of poison gas. So too have 187 other UN member countries.

It is hard to understand why the UN Security Council is not collectively demanding Syria pass across its chemical weapons stock for UN supervised destruction, says Phil.

'New Zealand should be arguing that case to both countries and at the United Nations.

'Taking such initiatives is not only the right thing to do, it would also enhance our reputation as a small country that is committed to the United Nations as a channel to resolve disputes, and prepared to speak out on critical issues.

Tauranga's ‘No War on Syria' rally is 11am this Saturday, September 7, at Red Square, corner of The Strand and Devonport Rd.