ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is following the situation in Syria with grave concernand has called all sides to refrain from actions inconsistent with the UNCharter.
According to Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal, Islamabad“condemns the use of chemical weapons anywhere by anyone”.
He said that it is important to establish facts through urgent andtransparent investigations by the Organisation for the Prohibition ofChemical Weapons.
On Friday night, the United States, United Kingdom and France attackedthree Syrian government sites, targeting what they said were chemicalweapons facilities.
More than 100 missiles struck in response to a suspected deadly chemicalattack on the town of Douma last week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he condemned the Western strikes “inthe most serious way”.
Russia, whose forces are bolstering Syria’s government, had threatenedmilitary retaliation if any Russian personnel had been hit.
The UN Security Council is now meeting at Russia’s request to discuss airstrikes launched by the United States, France and Britain on Syria inresponse to a suspected chemical weapons attack.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his opening remarks urged allmembers of the Security Council to exercise restraint and avoid escalationin Syria.
The Secretary-General also said that international investigators are readyto visit the site of the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria’s Doumawhere several militias and armies are fighting proxy wars.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said the attack was an act ofaggression against a sovereign state and that the US and its allies havedemonstrated a blatant disregard for international law.
Meanwhile, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said thestrikes were carefully planned to minimise civilian casualties.
Haley said US is “locked and loaded” to strike Syria again if the regimeuses toxic gas again.
European Council President Donald Tusk said the European Union stands bythe United States, France and Britain over their air strikes after allegedchemical attacks by the Damascus regime.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, also supported the US, French and Britishmissile strikes, saying that military intervention was necessary andappropriate.
Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement welcomed the strikes as anappropriate response to the suspected chemical attack.
Criticizing the United States and its allies for launching the missilestrikes despite absence of any proven evidence regarding the use ofchemical weapons by Syrian government, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Americaand its allies will assume responsibility for the regional andtrans-regional consequences of this adventurism.
Jordan said only a political solution would guarantee stability andterritorial integrity of Syria while continued violence will lead to moreviolence, conflict, fighting and displacement whose victims would be Syrianpeople.
Several European leaders, including Belgian, Spanish, Czech and ItalianPrime Ministers have issued statements in support of the Western missilestrikes on Syria.