Britain agrees with US on chemical weapons use in Syria
Updated: 2013-06-14 20:37
(Xinhua)
|
|||||||||
LONDON - Britain agrees with the United States' assessment of chemical weapons use in Syria and calls for co-ordinated response from the international community, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Friday.
"We agree with the U.S. assessment that chemical weapons, including sarin, have been used in Syria by the Assad regime," Hague said.
"The United Kingdom has presented evidence of the use of chemical weapons in Syria to the UN investigation, and we have been working with our allies to get more and better information about the situation on the ground," he said.
The foreign secretary called for "a strong, determined and coordinated response from the international community" on Wednesday in Washington and warned that "We have to be prepared to do more" about Syria.
Hague said there will be further discussions about response with the United States, France and other countries, including at the G8 meeting this week.
The White House announced on Thursday that the United States will provide direct military aid to the Syrian opposition for the first time.
The British government is yet to decide whether it will follow the U.S. lead. Prime Minister David Cameron maintains the position that "no decision has been taken" on arming the Syrian opposition but "nothing is off the table."
But a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the BBC that he remained against "any further militarization" of the conflict in Syria, saying the people there need peace not more weapons.
The White House concluded in a statement Thursday that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against rebels, a major move that signals deeper U.S. involvement in the Syrian conflict.
Meanwhile, Syria's foreign ministry on Friday charged that the U.S. report of Syrian forces' use of chemical weapons against rebel fighters is "full of lies."
- Michelle lays roses at site along Berlin Wall
- Historic space lecture in Tiangong-1 commences
- 'Sopranos' Star James Gandolfini dead at 51
- UN: Number of refugees hits 18-year high
- Slide: Jet exercises from aircraft carrier
- Talks establish fishery hotline
- Foreign buyers eye Chinese drones
- UN chief hails China's peacekeepers
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Pumping up power of consumption |
From China with love and care |
From the classroom to the boardroom |
Schools open overseas campus |
Domestic power of new energy |
Clearing the air |
Today's Top News
Shenzhou X astronaut gives lecture today
US told to reassess duties on Chinese paper
Chinese seek greater share of satellite market
Russia rejects Obama's nuke cut proposal
US immigration bill sees Senate breakthrough
Brazilian cities revoke fare hikes
Moody's warns on China's local govt debt
Air quality in major cities drops in May
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |