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Britain could send chemical weapons experts to Syria, says William Hague Britain could send chemical weapons experts to Syria, says William Hague
(35 minutes later)
The foreign secretary, William Hague, has said Britain would be willing to send weapons experts to Syria to ensure the Assad regime relinquishes its chemical weapons, but reiterated that there would be no British military "boots on the ground" in the war-ravaged country. Britain would be willing to send weapons experts to Syria to ensure the Assad regime relinquishes its chemical weapons, but there would be no British military "boots on the ground" in the war-ravaged country, William Hague has said.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Hague said that if Britain was confident about the security of British weapons experts they could be sent to Syria, but they were unlikely to be accompanied by armed forces. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the foreign secretary said that if the UK was confident about the security of British weapons experts they could be sent to Syria, but they were unlikely to be accompanied by armed forces.
Hague said the threat of military action was "still on the table" from the US. He denied that the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, had been allowed to attack his own people with impunity: "First of all he immediately faces the consequences of declaring chemical weapons that he has always denied having. It's an enormous change and a consequence of what was an attack by the regime." Hague said the threat of military action was "still on the table" from the US and denied that the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, had been allowed to attack his own people with impunity: "First of all he immediately faces the consequences of declaring chemical weapons that he has always denied having. It's an enormous change and a consequence of what was an attack by the regime."
Hague said the British government had "always made it clear that the response to chemical weapons is about chemical weapons. It is not about regime change."Hague said the British government had "always made it clear that the response to chemical weapons is about chemical weapons. It is not about regime change."
He added that the international community, including Russia and the US, was working together to thrash out a route to peace. "We do have to do everything we can to revive the wider political process and try to get a peace conference going," he said. He added that the international community, including Russia and the US, was working together to thrash out a route to peace. "We do have to do everything we can to revive the wider political process and try to get a peace conference going."
Asked if Britain would be willing to send weapons experts he said: "We are open to that. We would want to be confident about their security [but] we would send them."Asked if Britain would be willing to send weapons experts he said: "We are open to that. We would want to be confident about their security [but] we would send them."
However, he said the Syrian regime had thus far refused to have representatives from the UK or US on Syrian soil, and added that any such experts would not be guarded by British forces. "We will not be sending British troops into Syria, not in these or any other circumstances," he said.However, he said the Syrian regime had thus far refused to have representatives from the UK or US on Syrian soil, and added that any such experts would not be guarded by British forces. "We will not be sending British troops into Syria, not in these or any other circumstances," he said.
The foreign secretary admitted that getting Assad to comply with a UN resolution would be difficult. "It is a huge task, as I warned the House of Commons, probably the largest stock of chemical weapons in the world held on multiple sites." But he said ridding Syria of chemical weapons "is possible providing the internal community is insistent and the Assad regime is compliant". The foreign secretary admitted that getting Assad to comply with a UN resolution would be difficult. "It is a huge task, as I warned the House of Commons, probably the largest stock of chemical weapons in the world held on multiple sites." But he said ridding Syria of chemical weapons "is possible providing the international community is insistent and the Assad regime is compliant".
On Monday Hague called a report by UN weapons inspectors "damning", adding that it was fully consistent with the UK's belief that the Syrian regime was responsible for the chemical weapons attack in Damascus last month. On Monday Hague called a report by UN weapons inspectors damning, adding that it was fully consistent with the UK's belief that the Syrian regime was responsible for the chemical weapons attack in Damascus last month.
He said: "This report, which we are analysing in detail, is clearly very damning. It confirms that there was indeed a large-scale chemical weapons attack on the areas east of Damascus in the early hours of August 21. "This report, which we are analysing in detail, is clearly very damning. It confirms that there was indeed a large-scale chemical weapons attack on the areas east of Damascus in the early hours of August 21.
"It confirms that this was an attack against civilians, against children and a large number of people were killed and it is fully consistent with everything we have always argued about this attack – that sarin was used, that it was on a large scale.""It confirms that this was an attack against civilians, against children and a large number of people were killed and it is fully consistent with everything we have always argued about this attack – that sarin was used, that it was on a large scale."
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