U.S. Warns Syria Not to Use Chemical Arms, EU Slams 'Monstrous' Threat
The United States warned Syria Monday not to even consider using chemical weapons after Damascus raised the possibility of employing its stockpile of unconventional arms in the case of an outside attack, as the EU branded the Syrian remarks as "monstrous" and "unacceptable."
"They should not think one iota about using chemical weapons," Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters.
"We have been very strong in our statements inside the U.S. government on the prospective use of chemical weapons and it would be entirely unacceptable," Little said.
His comments came after Syria acknowledged it has chemical weapons and said it would use them if attacked though not against its own civilians, amid a bloody conflict between regime troops and rebel forces.
The warning by foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi coincides with mounting international concern that Damascus may deploy its chemical arsenal to crush a 16-month uprising against President Bashar Assad.
"When chemical weapons are mentioned in the press by Syrian officials, that raises concerns," Little said.
"We would strongly object -- to put it mildly -- to any thinking that would generate a motivation on the part of the Syrian regime to employ these weapons," he added.
The White House said on Sunday that the United States would "hold accountable" any Syrian official involved in the release or use of the country's chemical weapons.
Israel has warned it could take military action against Syria if any of the regime's unconventional or advanced weapons end up in the hands of Hizbullah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the fate of Syria's weapons stockpiles was of greater concern to him than who or what would replace the Assad regime.
The Pentagon spokesman said the United States has discussed the situation in Syria and the regime's stockpiles of chemical weapons with allies, including Israel, but declined to comment on Israel's warnings of potential military action.
The Syrian regime "has responsibility for the security of these stockpiles," Little said, adding, it has "a responsibility to uphold that obligation."
U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon said Monday that the use of chemical weapons in Syria would be "reprehensible."
"It would be reprehensible if anybody in Syria is contemplating (the) use of such weapons of mass destruction like chemical weapons," Ban told reporters in Belgrade on the fourth leg of his Balkans tour.
"I sincerely hope the international community will keep an eye on this so that there will be no such things happening," he added.
Ban added that he had read that Syria might be tempted to use chemical weapons but could not verify if they had such a stockpile but nonetheless worried that Damascus is not a member of the world's chemical weapons watchdog OPCW.
"What is (a) concern is that they are not parties to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons," the U.N. chief said.
However, he stressed that "all the countries have an obligation not to use any weapons of mass destruction, whether they are parties or not to any convention or agreement".
The U.N. chief said he was "closely coordinating and consulting with all parties concerned, starting with the League of Arab Nations".
"I am going to discuss this matter with Nabil al-Arabi, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, and our senior staff (are) very closely coordinating," Ban added.
Ban announced that U.N. peacekeeping chief, French diplomat Herve Ladsous, as well as chief U.N. military advisor General Babacar Gaye were traveling to Syria Monday.
"The head of the department of peacekeeping operations mister Herve Ladsous and General Gaye are leaving for Syria today and they will assess the situation on the ground," Ban said in Belgrade.
Gaye is due to take over the command of the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria UNSMIS which was extended with a "final" 30-day mandate last week by the Security Council.
Also on Monday, European Union foreign ministers branded as "monstrous" and "unacceptable" Syria’s threat that it would resort to the use of chemical weapons in case of a foreign attack.
"Threatening to use chemical weapons is monstrous," said German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in a statement.
"It is unacceptable to say they would use chemical weapons under any circumstances," echoed British Foreign Secretary William Hague.
In a statement issued after talks, the bloc's 27 foreign ministers said: "The EU is seriously concerned about the potential use of chemical weapons in Syria."
"The Syrian regime has once again revealed the contempt for human life in its thinking," added Westerwelle. "I urge all authorities in Syria to responsibly contribute to securing any chemical weapons stockpiles."
"What is actually happening is their own people are rising up against a brutal police state," said Hague.
"It has nothing to do with any aggression from anywhere else in the world ... The sooner it comes to an end, the better."
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who chaired the ministers' talks, said the existence of chemical weapons in any area of conflict was "cause of concern."
But asked to comment at a news conference, she added: "As far as I am aware, there is no reason to have immediate concern."
"But information is difficult to obtain," she said.
France was keeping a close eye on such weapons, however, said Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
"These installations are the object of very particular surveillance," he said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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