Iran-German FMs Focus On Syria On Phone

Tehran, Aug 28, IRNA – The Iranian and German foreign ministers in a phone conversation on Tuesday evening discussed the latest developments in Syria. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle jointly condemned the usage of chemical weapons in Syria and asked for completion of the UN fact finding inspectors’ work in that regard. According to IRNA, the Media and Public Diplomacy Office of the Foreign Ministry further quoted the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as condemning any type of foreign military intervention in Syria. Zarif advised the West to refrain from acting hastily and deciding in a rush-rush manner, warning that any type of military move would only further aggravate the situation. He also once again stressed the need to end using the threat language aimed at resolving crises and resorting to peaceful ways to prevent further deterioration of the regional crises. The US is currently examining ways to attack Syria without the approval of the United Nations, where Russia would likely veto any military action, US and European officials have said. The Obama administration has recently stepped up contacts with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Arab League (AL) allies about supporting a military operation against Damascus. Further support for military strikes on Syrian targets appeared to come from the Arab League of nations Tuesday. The league demands that all those involved in this heinous crime be presented for international trials, according to the statement. The league urged its member states and the international community to issue the necessary resolutions against the perpetrators of this crime, for which it accused the Syrian regime of bearing responsibility, and to put an end to the violations and crimes of genocide that the Syrian regime has carried out for over two years. The statement came a day after US Secretary of State John Kerry said there was undeniable evidence that chemical weapons had been used in an attack he characterized as a moral obscenity. US officials have said they expect to release evidence in coming days predicting baselessly that Syrias regime was behind the attacks. Syria utterly and completely rejects the allegations that it used chemical weapons, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said Tuesday. He added that Syria would defend itself by all means available. We will surprise others planning to attack Damascus, he said. We are hearing the drums of war, Muallem added. They want to attack Syria. I believe they use the chemical weapons as a pretext which is trite and inaccurate. Syrias foreign minister condemned the US for flouting international law and ignoring a continuing UN investigation into the incident, which has yet to determine if chemical weapons were used. A UN team is currently in Damascus investigating the suspected chemical-weapons attacks that hit the capitals outskirts last week and whose victims included children and women, according to witnesses. On Monday, the UN was granted access to one of those sites, Mouadhamiya, to conduct interviews with survivors and take soil samples, although their convoy was fired on by unknown snipers earlier that day. (Courtesy: Wall Street Journal for the background)/end