No evidence I used chemical weapons: Assad

WASHINGTON — Syrian President Bashar Al Assad yesterday denied he was behind a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people, CBS reported, as the United States indicated it was not ruling out returning to the United Nations Security Council to secure a resolution for a military intervention.

“There had been no evidence that I used chemical weapons against my own people,” the American television network reported Mr Assad as saying in an interview conducted in Damascus which aired on its Face the Nation programme yesterday.

The report was a summary of the interview, which will air on the CBS and PBS Charlie Rose show today.

Mr Assad spoke as the Obama administration was pressing its case at home for Congressional authorisation of a US strike against Syria in response to the Aug 21 sarin gas attack that Washington said killed more than 1,400 people. The Obama administration has accused Mr Assad’s forces of carrying out the attack but Mr Assad blames the rebels.

Mr Assad told CBS the US should produce evidence of his involvement, if it had the evidence. He warned that if there was a military strike by the US, there would be retaliation by those aligned with Syria.

Earlier yesterday, the US said it did not rule out returning to the UN for a Syria resolution once UN inspectors complete a report on a chemical weapons attack, but indicated Arab countries were seeking a tough response.

Speaking at a news conference in Paris after meeting key Arab foreign ministers, US Secretary of State John Kerry said they were leaning towards supporting a G-20 statement — already signed by 12 countries — that called for a strong international response.

French President Francois Hollande, under pressure at home and among European partners to seek a UN mandate before any military intervention, on Saturday suggested he could seek a resolution at the UN despite previous Russian and Chinese vetos.

“On President Hollande’s comments with respect to the UN, the President (Obama), and all of us, are listening carefully to all of our friends,” said Mr Kerry, alongside his Qatari counterpart Khaled Al Attiya. “No decision has been made by the President.”

The meeting with Arab ministers followed talks in Lithuania with European foreign ministers, who blamed the attack in Syria on Mr Assad but refused to endorse military action.

After failing to persuade allies at the G-20 summit in Russia last week to unite behind military action, Mr Obama has returned to Washington to press his request for a “limited” military strike.

As part of the White House effort, Mr Obama’s chief of staff, Mr Denis McDonough, yesterday told CNN’s State of the Union programme that “nobody now debates” US intelligence showing Mr Assad was responsible for the gas attack, but that Congress must now determine whether there should be consequences.

Mr Obama is also set to give a televised address tomorrow, a day before the critical vote on the possible Syria action is expected in the Senate.

Activists in Syria yesterday said rebels, including Al Qaeda-linked fighters had gained control of Maaloula, a Christian village north-east of Damascus, while government media provided a dramatically different account of the battle suggesting regime forces were winning. The reports could not be verified. Agencies