MOSCOW- Western powers continued to weigh their options on Friday overpossible strikes against Syria’s regime as pressure built to avoid anescalation following a warning from Russia that military action could leadto “war”.
The UN Security Council is to meet again on Friday, at Russia’s request, totry to defuse the standoff, as United States President Donald Trumpappeared to back away from imminent action, days after warning Russia to“get ready” for missile strikes.
After a crunch meeting with national security advisers on Thursday, theWhite House said he had not yet decided how to retaliate to last week’ssuspected chemical attack which the US, France and Britain blame on Basharal-Assad’s regime.
“No final decision has been made,” White House Press Secretary SarahSanders said, adding that Trump would confer with French President EmmanuelMacron and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Later, a White House briefing on a call between Trump and May said thatthey “continued their discussion of the need for a joint response toSyria’s use of chemical weapons.”
A Downing Street spokesperson added: “They agreed it was vital that the useof chemical weapons did not go unchallenged, and on the need to deter thefurther use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime.”
But US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis struck a cautious note, tellinglawmakers that the need to “stop the murder of innocent people” had to beweighed up against the risk of things “escalating out of control”.
*French ‘proof’*
During his meeting with Trump and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffJoe Dunford, Mattis pushed for more evidence of the Assad regime’sculpability for the attack, to bolster the case for air strikes, The NewYork Times reported.
In France, Macron claimed in a TV interview he had “proof” that Assad’sregime had used chemical weapons and vowed a response “in due course”.
But he also appeared anxious to avoid a wider conflict, saying France would“in no way allow an escalation”.
Western officials believe chlorine was used in Saturday’s attack on Douma,the main city in the longtime rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta, where theBritish government now estimates 75 people were killed.
What is less clear is whether sarin — the agent used in the chemical attacklast April that prompted US missile strikes — or a similar agent was alsoused.
Russia, which has stonewalled diplomatic efforts at the UN SecurityCouncil, has vehemently denied a chemical attack took place and accused theWest of seeking an excuse for military action.
Inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weaponsare expected to arrive in Syria over the weekend to investigate thereported attack, following an invitation from Damascus.
Diplomats have expressed concern that the experts could be used as hostagesor human shields.
*’Danger of war’*
Since Saturday, when images of ashen toddlers struggling for breathemerged, there has been a sustained military buildup in the easternMediterranean.
A French frigate, UK Royal Navy submarines laden with cruise missiles andthe USS Donald Cook, an American destroyer equipped with Tomahawk landattack missiles, have all moved into range of Syria’s sun-bleached coast.
Russia’s UN ambassador warned that US-led strikes could lead to aconfrontation between the world’s two preeminent nuclear powers.
“The immediate priority is to avert the danger of war,” said AmbassadorVassily Nebenzia.
Trump has slammed Russia for its partnership with “Gas Killing Animal”Assad, spurring concerns that a US strike could lead to a conflict withRussia, which has major military facilities at Tartus and Khmeimim andworks cheek-by-jowl with Syria forces that could be targeted.
US officials have refused to rule out direct military engagement withRussia, with the White House saying “all options are on the table.” -APP/AFP