The European Union Foreign Ministers will discuss the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian forces in attacks targeting rebels.
"The next Foreign Affairs Council will examine the overall situation and recent developments in
Syria, of which the alleged chemical attacks are an important factor," EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said on Friday in response to a US statement on Syrian Chemical Weapons Use.
The EU Foreign Policy chief said the White House allegation presents "new indications by the US intelligence services" that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used chemical weapons against opposition forces in Syria. She called for an agreement to immediately deploy a UN verification mission to investigate these allegations on the ground.
"At the same time, these developments can only reinforce the importance of a political solution and
should accelerate the efforts of the international community to find a definitive political solution to
the conflict," Ashton said. She urged the international community to advance the political process, starting with the convening of the planned peace conference on Syria. She pledged the European Union's contribution to its success "in every possible way."
The Obama administration said on Thursday that the Assad regime has indeed used chemical weapons against its citizen uprising.
Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said, "The intelligence community estimates that 100 to 150 people have died from detected chemical weapons attacks in Syria to date."
He added that the use of chemical weapons crosses what President Barack Obama has termed a "red line," beyond which he said his administration would alter its policy toward the Syrian situation.
The administration indicated it would give the rebels "direct military aid".
However, Damascus rejected the claims, terming it as "a caravan of lies."
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