Syria threatens use of chemical arms if attacked
Source: Agencies |
July 24, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Syrian regime acknowledged for the first time yesterday that it possessed stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and said it will only use them in case of a foreign attack and never internally against its own citizens.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said the stockpiles are secure, in an apparent response to widespread international concerns that they could fall into the hands of the disparate bands of rebel forces fighting the government.
"No chemical or biological weapons will ever be used, and I repeat, will ever be used, during the crisis in Syria no matter what the developments inside Syria," he said in conference broadcast on state TV. "All of these types of weapons are in storage and under security and the direct supervision of the Syrian armed forces and will never be used unless Syria is exposed to external aggression."
Syria is believed to have nerve agents as well as mustard gas, Scud missiles capable of delivering these lethal chemicals and a variety of advanced conventional arms, including anti-tank rockets and late-model portable anti-aircraft missiles.
Israel has said it fears that chaos following President Bashar Assad's fall could allow the Jewish state's enemies to access Syria's chemical weapons and has not ruled out military intervention to prevent this from happening.
A senior United States intelligence official said the Syrians have moved chemical weapons material from the north of the country, where the fighting was fiercest, apparently to both secure it, and to consolidate it, which was considered a responsible step.
Meanwhile, the European Union yesterday tightened sanctions on Syria and required member nations to board ships and airplanes carrying suspicious cargo to the country, as foreign ministers warned that the escalating violence there was sparking a refugee crisis for its neighbors.
The 27 EU ministers added 29 names to an existing list of over 170 Syrian individuals and companies believed to be associated with the repression, or benefiting from the Assad regime. They also endorsed a plan to enforce the bloc's existing arms embargo, requiring inspections on the territory or in the territorial waters of EU states.
"Our decisions will strengthen sanctions against the Assad regime and also help neighboring countries, mainly Jordan and Lebanon, which will have to take in many of the refugees. We're doing both things," said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in Brussels.
The EU banned weapons exports to Syria in May 2011.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said the stockpiles are secure, in an apparent response to widespread international concerns that they could fall into the hands of the disparate bands of rebel forces fighting the government.
"No chemical or biological weapons will ever be used, and I repeat, will ever be used, during the crisis in Syria no matter what the developments inside Syria," he said in conference broadcast on state TV. "All of these types of weapons are in storage and under security and the direct supervision of the Syrian armed forces and will never be used unless Syria is exposed to external aggression."
Syria is believed to have nerve agents as well as mustard gas, Scud missiles capable of delivering these lethal chemicals and a variety of advanced conventional arms, including anti-tank rockets and late-model portable anti-aircraft missiles.
Israel has said it fears that chaos following President Bashar Assad's fall could allow the Jewish state's enemies to access Syria's chemical weapons and has not ruled out military intervention to prevent this from happening.
A senior United States intelligence official said the Syrians have moved chemical weapons material from the north of the country, where the fighting was fiercest, apparently to both secure it, and to consolidate it, which was considered a responsible step.
Meanwhile, the European Union yesterday tightened sanctions on Syria and required member nations to board ships and airplanes carrying suspicious cargo to the country, as foreign ministers warned that the escalating violence there was sparking a refugee crisis for its neighbors.
The 27 EU ministers added 29 names to an existing list of over 170 Syrian individuals and companies believed to be associated with the repression, or benefiting from the Assad regime. They also endorsed a plan to enforce the bloc's existing arms embargo, requiring inspections on the territory or in the territorial waters of EU states.
"Our decisions will strengthen sanctions against the Assad regime and also help neighboring countries, mainly Jordan and Lebanon, which will have to take in many of the refugees. We're doing both things," said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in Brussels.
The EU banned weapons exports to Syria in May 2011.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
