Use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime would be “a legitimate cause for direct intervention” by the international community, said yesterday French President Francois Hollande. “I say this with all the seriousness: we remain very vigilant with our allies to prevent the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime which would be a legitimate reason for international community to intervene directly in this country,” said the head of state, when he opened in Paris an annual conference that brings together about 200 French ambassadors.
“I know the difficulty of the mission, we measured the risks, but the problem goes beyond Syria’s borders. It’s about the security of the whole Middle East and especially about the independence and stability of Lebanon,” added the head of the French state.
U.S. President Barack Obama also warned last week the regime of Bashar al-Assad that the use of chemical weapons or even their moving would draw a “red line” for Washington, threatening military intervention, if necessary.
Also at the conference, François Hollande criticized Russia and China, due to their attitude that “weakens”, in his opinion the capacity of the UN Security Council on the Syrian crisis. “I convey to Russia and China that, in regards to the crisis in Syria, their attitude weakens our ability to meet the mandate that United Nations have entrusted us,” said the French president, presenting the main lines of French diplomacy in the opening of the ambassadors conference.
“U.N members must take responsibility to enable the organization to make decisions,” added Hollande, given that Moscow and Beijing, the main supporters of Damascus, are blocking any resolution of the UN Security Council condemning the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011, violence in Syria have left more than 25,000 dead, according to a nongovernmental Syrian organizations based in the UK.
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