AMMAN: A drumbeat toward Western retaliation against President Bashar Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons seemed to be getting louder on Tuesday as the United States and its allies mulled military action.
Britain said it is drawing up contingency plans for a possible military attack, while senior US officials said President Barack Obama was weighing limited military strikes on targets in Syria.
Prime Minister David Cameron is facing pressure to recall Parliament later this week to discuss the crisis in Syria.
Cameron’s office said Tuesday that the UK is considering a “proportionate” response that would deter Syrian President Bashar Assad from using chemical weapons in the future.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu pushed for urgent international action against the Assad regime, saying: “This is a crime against humanity and a crime against humanity should not go unanswered, what needs to be done must be done."
"Today, it is clear the international community is faced with a test,” Davutoglu told reporters.
Jordan's seeks political solution
As calls for intervention grew, Jordan said Tuesday it will not be a “launchpad” for military intervention in Syria.
“Jordan’s position has not changed. Jordanian territories will not be used as launchpad for any military action against Damascus,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Iran on Monday warned of “serious consequences” should Western powers intervene in Syria.
Iran's Foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday said the message was conveyed by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting on Monday with UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman, who is in Tehran for talks that included Syria.
“The use of military means (against Syria) will have serious consequences not only for Syria but for the entire region,” Araqchi said, recounting conversations between Zarif and Feltman.
Political solution
Amman, which is already struggling with 500,000 Syrian refugees, has repeatedly called for political solution in Syria.
The official’s remarks came on the second and final day of a meeting of senior military officers to discuss the regional impact of the war in Syria.
“The outcome of this meeting on developments in Syria is not expected to be announced to the media because of the nature of the meeting,” the official said, without elaborating.
The state-run Petra news agency has quoted a military spokesman as saying the meeting comes at the invitation of Jordan’s army chief of staff Meshaal Mohamed Al-Zaban and General Lloyd Austin, head of Centcom, the US command responsible for 20 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.
US army chief General Martin Dempsey was to take part, along with chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Canada.
“Again, the meeting has be been scheduled for months. Similar meetings were held before in London and Doha,” the government official said.
Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said on Sunday the meeting “will discuss the situation and scenarios on the ground, especially after the recent dangerous developments. The army chiefs have to have comprehensive talks and examine the impact on the region.”
Prime Minister Abdullah Nsur has said that the United States is providing its ally Jordan with technical assistance against any possible chemical threat from neighboring Syria.
Syria says Kerry disregards UN
In Damascus, Syria accused US Secretary of State John Kerry of lying by claiming there is “undeniable” evidence of a large-scale chemical weapons attack in Syria likely carried out by the regime.
A statement on the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency says Kerry’s insistence on “jumping over” the work of UN experts in Syria shows that the US has deliberate intentions to exploit events.
Kerry said Monday there is “undeniable” evidence of a chemical weapons attack, with intelligence strongly pointing to Assad’s government as being responsible. President Obama has not decided how to respond to the purported use of deadly gases in the Aug. 21 attack in the Damascus suburbs, which activists say killed hundreds of people.
SANA in the statement Tuesday said Kerry has “fabricated” evidence.
