Syria’s war: France rules out ‘war of words’ with Russia

France’s defence minister has ruled out « war of words » and « escalation » following its joint militia operation with the US and UK that attacked « targets linked to the chemical weapons capabilities » in Syria.


The strikes early on Saturday came in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in the extinct insurgent stronghold of Douma last weekend.

Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly instant journalists the militia motion centered the « main be taught centre » for Syria’s chemical weapons programme and « two well-known production internet sites ».

France’s goal became to deter Syria’s authorities from utilizing chemical weapons, she stated, including that her authorities did no longer are making an are attempting to irritate the battle.

« We’re no longer making an try for a war of words and refuse any logic of escalation, » stated Parly.

« That is why, with our allies, we ensured that the Russians were notified earlier than time. »

Russia is one of Assad’s strongest allies and has militia bases in Syria. It has denounced the US-led militia motion.  

Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s foreign minister, known as the US-led response « centered and proportionate ».

« It became restricted to explicit targets: The destruction of the Syrian regime’s chemical capabilities to quit it from committing recent chemical massacres, » stated Drian.

He added that France will now return to taking political initiatives to quit the crisis in Syria. 

Earlier on Saturday, President Emmanuel Macron also stated France and its partners « will renew their efforts at the UN to enable the institution of a world mechanism to establish responsibility, quit impunity and quit any recurrence by the Syrian regime ». 

Meanwhile, Theresa Would possibly perhaps well, UK high minister, stated her authorities resorted to militia motion easiest after its efforts at deterring the Syrian authorities from utilizing chemical weapons were « many events thwarted » at the UN by Russia.

« Upright this week, the Russians vetoed a call at the UN Security Council which may perhaps well acquire established an fair investigation into this most in model attack, » Would possibly perhaps well instant a press conference.

« So we haven’t any preference however to full that diplomatic motion by itself is perhaps no longer any longer advantageous in the destroy than it has been previously, » she stated, arguing that it became « each true and true » to realize the strikes in Syria. 

« This is rarely any longer about intervening in a civil war. It’s miles no longer about regime trade, » she stated. 

« It’s a pair of restricted and centered strike that does no longer additional escalate tensions in the save and that does every part imaginable to quit civilian casualties. » 

Would possibly perhaps well went on to push apart as « grotesque and absurd » a claim by Russia, which intervened in the war in 2015 to relief Assad, that the Douma attack became staged by Britain. 

She referred namely to last month’s nerve agent attack on extinct search Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southern English cathedral metropolis of Salisbury that she has blamed on Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement.

« We are in a position to no longer enable the utilization of chemical weapons to become normalised – both within Syria, on the streets of the UK or in other places, » Would possibly perhaps well stated.

She stated nearly a century of global acceptance about no longer utilizing chemical weapons had been eroded in Douma and Salisbury.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and files companies