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| Assad warns failure awaits US military intervention in Syria | Assad warns failure awaits US military intervention in Syria |
| (25 days later) | |
| Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has dismissed as politically motivated western allegations that he used chemical weapons and warned Washington that any US military intervention would fail, in an interview published in a Russian newspaper on Monday. | Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has dismissed as politically motivated western allegations that he used chemical weapons and warned Washington that any US military intervention would fail, in an interview published in a Russian newspaper on Monday. |
| "Failure awaits the United States as in all previous wars it has unleashed, starting with Vietnam and up to the present day," he told the Izvestia daily when asked what would happen if Washington decided to strike or invade Syria. | "Failure awaits the United States as in all previous wars it has unleashed, starting with Vietnam and up to the present day," he told the Izvestia daily when asked what would happen if Washington decided to strike or invade Syria. |
| Assad said Syrian government forces had been close to where rebel forces say chemical weapons were used last week during the country's more than two-year-old civil war. | Assad said Syrian government forces had been close to where rebel forces say chemical weapons were used last week during the country's more than two-year-old civil war. |
| "Would any state use chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction in a place where its own forces are concentrated? That would go against elementary logic," Assad told Izvestia, a pro-Kremlin newspaper. | "Would any state use chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction in a place where its own forces are concentrated? That would go against elementary logic," Assad told Izvestia, a pro-Kremlin newspaper. |
| Russia has been Assad's most important international ally throughout the civil war, supplying his troops with arms and resisting pressure at the UN for tighter sanctions on Damascus. | Russia has been Assad's most important international ally throughout the civil war, supplying his troops with arms and resisting pressure at the UN for tighter sanctions on Damascus. |
| Asked about the arms deliveries, Assad said: "I want to say that all contracts that have been concluded with Russia are being fulfilled." | Asked about the arms deliveries, Assad said: "I want to say that all contracts that have been concluded with Russia are being fulfilled." |
| He gave no details and did not say whether Damascus had taken delivery of advanced S-300 sir defence systems from Russia that could vastly improve its defence capabilities. | He gave no details and did not say whether Damascus had taken delivery of advanced S-300 sir defence systems from Russia that could vastly improve its defence capabilities. |
| Russia has expressed its concern to Washington that the US will respond militarily and urged restraint, Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday. | Russia has expressed its concern to Washington that the US will respond militarily and urged restraint, Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday. |
| Referring to a phone conversation between the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the US secretary of state, John Kerry, on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had urged Washington to refrain from falling for "provocations". | Referring to a phone conversation between the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the US secretary of state, John Kerry, on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had urged Washington to refrain from falling for "provocations". |
| "[Lavrov] stressed that the official announcements from Washington in recent days about the readiness of US armed forces to 'intervene' in the Syrian conflict have been received in Moscow with deep concern," the ministry said in a statement. | "[Lavrov] stressed that the official announcements from Washington in recent days about the readiness of US armed forces to 'intervene' in the Syrian conflict have been received in Moscow with deep concern," the ministry said in a statement. |
| In other diplomatic moves, Turkey said it would join any international coalition against Syria even if a wider consensus on action could not be reached at the UN security council, the foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, was quoted as saying on Monday. | In other diplomatic moves, Turkey said it would join any international coalition against Syria even if a wider consensus on action could not be reached at the UN security council, the foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, was quoted as saying on Monday. |
| "We always prioritise acting together with the international community, with United Nations decisions. If such a decision doesn't emerge from the UN security council, other alternatives ... would come on to the agenda," Davutoglu told the Milliyet daily. | "We always prioritise acting together with the international community, with United Nations decisions. If such a decision doesn't emerge from the UN security council, other alternatives ... would come on to the agenda," Davutoglu told the Milliyet daily. |
| "Currently 36 to 37 countries are discussing these alternatives. If a coalition is formed against Syria in this process, Turkey would take its place in this coalition." | "Currently 36 to 37 countries are discussing these alternatives. If a coalition is formed against Syria in this process, Turkey would take its place in this coalition." |
| France's foreign minister said on Monday no decision had been made yet on whether to take military action, but that all options were on the table. | France's foreign minister said on Monday no decision had been made yet on whether to take military action, but that all options were on the table. |
| "The decision has not been taken," Laurent Fabius told Europe 1 radio. "There has to be a proportional reaction ... and that will be decided in the coming days. | "The decision has not been taken," Laurent Fabius told Europe 1 radio. "There has to be a proportional reaction ... and that will be decided in the coming days. |
| "All options are envisaged. The only one that is not on the table is to not do anything." | "All options are envisaged. The only one that is not on the table is to not do anything." |
| US remarks that Syria's agreement to allow the UN to inspect the site of the suspected chemical weapons attack was "too late to be credible" appeared to signal a military response was more likely. | US remarks that Syria's agreement to allow the UN to inspect the site of the suspected chemical weapons attack was "too late to be credible" appeared to signal a military response was more likely. |
| A senior senator said he believed President Barack Obama would ask for authorisation to use force when Congress returned from recess next month. | A senior senator said he believed President Barack Obama would ask for authorisation to use force when Congress returned from recess next month. |
| But Russia has suggested rebels may have been behind the alleged chemical weapons attack. | But Russia has suggested rebels may have been behind the alleged chemical weapons attack. |
| "In connection with this, the Russian side calls for [Washington to] refrain from the threat of force on Damascus, to not fall for provocations and to try to help create normal conditions to give the UN chemical experts' mission, which is already in the country, the possibility of conducting a thorough, objective and impartial investigation," the foreign ministry statement said. | "In connection with this, the Russian side calls for [Washington to] refrain from the threat of force on Damascus, to not fall for provocations and to try to help create normal conditions to give the UN chemical experts' mission, which is already in the country, the possibility of conducting a thorough, objective and impartial investigation," the foreign ministry statement said. |
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