US seeks UK support, France says strike by Wednesday
31 Aug 2013 4:53 AM IST
The US on Friday said it is seeking an ‘international coalition’ for military strikes on Syria over alleged chemical attacks, even as it faced the prospect of unilateral action after the UK rejected involvement in a shock Parliament vote.
A UK government motion calling for a strong humanitarian response which may have included military strikes was rejected by 272 votes to 285 late last night after seven hours of impassioned debate in the House of Commons.
Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said a military strike on Syria could come by Wednesday and that Britain’s surprise rejection of armed intervention would not affect his government’s stand. ‘France wants firm and proportionate action against the Damascus regime,’ he said in an interview to Le Monde daily on Friday.
The French parliament is due to meet on Wednesday for an emergency Syria session. Hollande said the British parliament’s rebuff would not influence the course of action Paris would take.
‘Each country is free to choose whether to take part in such an operation or not. That holds true for Britain and France,’ he said.
Hollande, who had vowed to ‘punish’ Syrian regime for an alleged chemical weapons attack on 21 August, said ‘there was a body of indicators pointing to the responsibility of the Damascus regime.’
A UK government motion calling for a strong humanitarian response which may have included military strikes was rejected by 272 votes to 285 late last night after seven hours of impassioned debate in the House of Commons.
Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said a military strike on Syria could come by Wednesday and that Britain’s surprise rejection of armed intervention would not affect his government’s stand. ‘France wants firm and proportionate action against the Damascus regime,’ he said in an interview to Le Monde daily on Friday.
The French parliament is due to meet on Wednesday for an emergency Syria session. Hollande said the British parliament’s rebuff would not influence the course of action Paris would take.
‘Each country is free to choose whether to take part in such an operation or not. That holds true for Britain and France,’ he said.
Hollande, who had vowed to ‘punish’ Syrian regime for an alleged chemical weapons attack on 21 August, said ‘there was a body of indicators pointing to the responsibility of the Damascus regime.’
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