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| Syria crisis: William Hague to hold talks with John Kerry | Syria crisis: William Hague to hold talks with John Kerry |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UK Foreign Secretary William Hague is due to hold talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the Syrian crisis. | UK Foreign Secretary William Hague is due to hold talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the Syrian crisis. |
| Mr Kerry arrived in London on Sunday after meeting Arab League foreign ministers in Paris, as the US tries to gather support for military strikes. | Mr Kerry arrived in London on Sunday after meeting Arab League foreign ministers in Paris, as the US tries to gather support for military strikes. |
| Parliament has already decided that the UK will not join the US in any military action in response to Syria's suspected use of chemical weapons. | Parliament has already decided that the UK will not join the US in any military action in response to Syria's suspected use of chemical weapons. |
| But Mr Hague has reiterated his support for Washington's stance. | But Mr Hague has reiterated his support for Washington's stance. |
| "I do believe very strongly the world must stand up to the use of chemical weapons and there is a debate now taking place in the US Congress and since our Parliament has spoken," Mr Hague told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show. | "I do believe very strongly the world must stand up to the use of chemical weapons and there is a debate now taking place in the US Congress and since our Parliament has spoken," Mr Hague told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show. |
| "The risks of not doing so in my view are greater than the risks of doing so in a limited, proportionate and careful way." | "The risks of not doing so in my view are greater than the risks of doing so in a limited, proportionate and careful way." |
| Mr Kerry, meanwhile, has warned that if there was no armed intervention Syria would use its chemical weapons again. | Mr Kerry, meanwhile, has warned that if there was no armed intervention Syria would use its chemical weapons again. |
| 'Red line' | 'Red line' |
| The US accuses President Bashar al-Assad's forces of killing 1,429 people in a sarin gas attack in Damascus on 21 August. Mr Assad's government blames the attack on rebels fighting to overthrow him in the country's two-and-a-half-year civil war. | |
| On Sunday, Mr Kerry said that he and Arab League foreign ministers had agreed that the Syrian president's suspected use of chemical weapons "crossed an international global red line". | On Sunday, Mr Kerry said that he and Arab League foreign ministers had agreed that the Syrian president's suspected use of chemical weapons "crossed an international global red line". |
| "What we are seeking is to enforce the standard with respect to the use of chemical weapons," he said. | "What we are seeking is to enforce the standard with respect to the use of chemical weapons," he said. |
| BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said pictures of Mr Hague shoulder to shoulder with Mr Kerry could prove awkward for the Obama administration. | BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said pictures of Mr Hague shoulder to shoulder with Mr Kerry could prove awkward for the Obama administration. |
| "It will be a vivid reminder to the American people that Britain's foreign secretary represents an ally - and a government - defeated by its Parliament over Syria, which hardly helps Mr Kerry's president as he appeals to lawmakers in Congress not to follow that path," said our correspondent. | "It will be a vivid reminder to the American people that Britain's foreign secretary represents an ally - and a government - defeated by its Parliament over Syria, which hardly helps Mr Kerry's president as he appeals to lawmakers in Congress not to follow that path," said our correspondent. |
| He said the talks may focus on ways to boost elements of the Syrian Opposition seen as moderates. | He said the talks may focus on ways to boost elements of the Syrian Opposition seen as moderates. |
| Retaliation warning | Retaliation warning |
| Meanwhile, Mr Assad has reportedly again denied any link to the attack. | Meanwhile, Mr Assad has reportedly again denied any link to the attack. |
| In an interview with the US broadcaster PBS, to be broadcast on Monday, he also reportedly "suggested that there would be, among people that are aligned with him, some kind of retaliation if a strike was made", PBS said. | In an interview with the US broadcaster PBS, to be broadcast on Monday, he also reportedly "suggested that there would be, among people that are aligned with him, some kind of retaliation if a strike was made", PBS said. |
| France supports military intervention but it wants to wait for a report by UN weapons experts before taking action. | France supports military intervention but it wants to wait for a report by UN weapons experts before taking action. |
| Both Russia and China, which have refused to agree to a UN Security Council resolution against Syria, insist any military action without the UN would be illegal. | Both Russia and China, which have refused to agree to a UN Security Council resolution against Syria, insist any military action without the UN would be illegal. |