Macron says has 'proof' of Syrian chemical attack, vows response

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April 12, 2018 1:21 PM

"We have proof that chemical weapons were used last week, at least chlorine, and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad," Macron said during an interview on France's TF1 television.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that he had "proof" that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons and would announce his response "in due course".

Macron added that he was in daily contact with US President Donald Trump and that "we will have decisions to take in due course, when we judge it to be the most useful and the most effective."

The French leader, who had made the use of chemical weapons in Syria a "red line", said one of his aims in Syria was to "remove the regime's chemical attack capabilities".

But he repeated that he wanted to also avoid "an escalation".

"France will in no way allow an escalation or anything that would harm regional stability, but we cannot allow regimes that believe they can act with impunity to violate international law in the worst possible way."

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