French President Macron reaffirmed his stance that the use of chemical weapons represented a “red line” for his government. On Tuesday, he confirmed that France will strike Syria if it’s proven the Assad regime used chemical weapons, BBC reported.
Macron said last May that the use of chemical weapons would represent a “red line”. In a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday expressed concern over signs that chlorine bombs had been used against civilians in Syria.
“On chemical weapons, I set a red line and I reaffirm that red line,” Macron told reporters. “If we have proven evidence that chemical weapons proscribed in treaties are used, we will strike the place where they are made.”
Syria signed the international treaty banning chemical weapons and allowed monitors to destroy its poison gas arsenal after an agreement reached in 2013 to avert U.S. retaliation for what Washington said was a nerve gas attack near Damascus that killed more than 1000 people. Washington again accused Syria of using nerve gas last year and struck Syrian targets.
France is ready to strike Syria
On Friday, Emmanuel Macron during his telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart said that French agencies, armed forces have not established that chemical weapons, as set out in treaties, have been used against the civilian population in Syria.
The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons and said it targets only armed rebels and militants.
Last week was one of the bloodiest in the Syrian conflict as Syrian government forces, who are backed by Russia and Iran, bombarded two of the last major rebel areas of Syria – Eastern Ghouta near Damascus and the northwestern province of Idlib.
