Tony Blair: Keep the threat against Syrian chemical weapons alive

 
A dead dog is seen at the alleged site of a chemical attack
Staff|Agency25 September 2013

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair says Britain should take up arms with the US if Syrian president Bashar Assad refuses to surrender its chemical weapons.

Mr Blair also stressed the importance of the US and the UK sticking together in its response to the crisis.

Speaking on CNN show Piers Morgan Tonight, he said: "If we manage to get the Syrians to give this up in a verifiable process, fine.

"But if that doesn't happen, and that's why the (United Nations) Security Council resolution is also important, we have got to be prepared to enforce the will of the international community."

Asked if he would have been in favour of military intervention if he were still prime minister, Mr Blair replied: "I would have certainly pushed very hard to be with America as an ally at this moment. It's very important that the UK and the US stick together.

"The bottom line, again, is that you can't have the use of chemical weapons happening without some reaction."

Up to 1,400 people are believed to have been killed in a chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held Damascus suburb last month. The attack is said to have been carried out by Assad's regime, as part of a conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people.

The ex-prime minister, who gave the interview yesterday while on a visit to New York, said: "It's right, given the offer to yield up the chemical weapons that Syria has, if they're prepared to do that and it's done on a verifiable basis, then that is plainly better for the world's security than to do a punitive attack that would still leave us with chemical weapons."

Mr Blair said what mattered was the final outcome, telling Morgan: "It's the results that count. I'm not particularly concerned if we do it elegantly or inelegantly."

Meanwhile, the issue of Syria was also discussed by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg when he met American vice president Joe Biden in Washington DC yesterday. The pair spoke about "a wide range of issues", a Cabinet Office spokesman said.

He added: "They discussed the continuing crisis in Syria, the need for strong, co-ordinated action by the international community to address chemical weapons stockpiles, including through a UN resolution, and the need to work to restart the political process.

"On Iran, the vice president and the Deputy Prime Minister underlined the necessity of Iran responding to the international community's concerns about its nuclear programme, but welcomed recent signals from President Rouhani that he was keen and willing to engage in substantive talks on nuclear issues and hoped progress would be made during UNGA (UN General Assembly)."

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