Germany: Merkel refuses to speculate on Syria airstrike

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Chancellor Angela Merkel declined to say on Wednesday whether Germany would back a possible airstrike into Syria after a recent chemical attack by the regime that killed dozens of civilians.

Speaking at a news conference after a cabinet meeting in Meseberg, Merkel voiced disappointment over the failure of UN Security Council to reach an agreement on Syria.

“We deeply regret that the UN Security Council members could not reach an agreement yesterday on a U.S.-drafted resolution,” Merkel said.

Asked whether Germany would support a possible airstrike by its allies U.S. and France, Merkel declined to comment.

“I don’t want to speculate now,” she said.

Russia vetoed the U.S.-drafted resolution which envisaged establishing a new expert body to determine culpability for the suspected chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta’s Douma district.

The White Helmets, a civil defense agency, blamed the Syrian regime for the chemical attack in Douma on Saturday which killed 78 civilians and injured hundreds of other victims.

U.S. president Trump announced on Monday that Washington will decide on its response to the chemical attack within two days, and did not rule out military airstrikes.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that a decision on whether to carry out the strikes would be made "in the coming days" after more consultations with the U.S. and U.K.

"Our decision will not target allies of the regime or attack anyone but rather attack the regime's chemical capabilities," Macron told a joint news conference with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Paris.