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French FM says all options on table after sarin use in Syria

(Xinhua)

08:07, June 05, 2013

PARIS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- France has "no doubt" that the Syrian regime had used the deadly nerve agent sarin in conflicts with rebels and "all options are on the table" to end the conflicts in the violence-torn country including military actions, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Tuesday.

"There is no doubt that it was the regime and its accomplices because we are aware of the entire chain from when the attack took place, to when the people were killed and when the sample was taken," Fabius said.

In an interview with the state-run TV channel France 2, the French top diplomat stressed that Syrian officials have "undoubtedly" crossed a "red line" and that France, the United States and Britain were discussing how to react.

"All options are on the table. That means either we decide not to react or we decide to react including by armed actions targeting the place where the gas is stored," the minister said.

France was testing samples of suspected chemical weapon elements used against Syrian rebel fighters and which were obtained by reporters with Le Monde newspaper.

In a separate statement, Fabius unveiled that the analysis showed that "the sarin gas was used in Syria several times and with localized manner."

Earlier on Tuesday, the United Nation also said there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that chemical agents have been used as weapons in Syria, citing a report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria as the source.

The UN report said that Syrian government possessed a number of chemical weapons, while "it is possible" that anti-government armed groups may access and use chemical weapons as well. "In some instances, anti-government armed groups have also employed this tactic," said the report, while indicating that further investigation is undergoing.

As to the United States, President Barrack Obama has previously declared that the use of chemical weapons would "change the rule of the game," while hitting the "red line" would make it possible for forceful U.S. intervention in Syria.

French radio RTL noted in its report on Tuesday that the White House has said more evidence is needed to formally establish that sarin gas had been used in Syria although the French authorities had expressed their "certainty" in the matter.

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