UN experts begin chemical weapons investigation in Syria

Syrian soldiers are seen deployed in the Jobar neighbourhood of Damascus UN experts are to start investigating a suspected Syrian chemical attack as a sceptical Washington weighing military action and coordinating with allies said Syria's acceptance of the probe came too late. In an escalation of a showdown over the alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus last week, the United States and its Western allies pointed the finger of blame at President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
"There is very little doubt at this point that a chemical weapon was used by the Syrian regime against civilians in this incident," based on the reported number of victims and their symptoms, as well as US and other foreign intelligence, one official in Washington said.
French President Francois Hollande told his US counterpart Barack Obama that "everything was consistent" with the conclusion that Damascus was behind the attack.
"The two presidents agreed to stay in close contact to arrive at a joint response to this unprecedented aggression," the French leader's office said.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague warned any evidence of a chemical attack may have been destroyed. "The fact is that much of the evidence could have been destroyed by that artillery bombardment," he said.
However, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault implied that a punitive strike on Syria was not imminent, in an interview with France 2 television.
"Once this (UN) investigation has ended, we await a firm decision, a clear decision, from the international community. The (UN) Security Council will meet," he said.
A White House official also shot down a report in Britain's Telegraph newspaper claiming that London and Washington planned to join forces and launch military action against Syria "within days".
"The president has not made a decision to undertake military action," the official said.
Syria's opposition says more than 1,300 people died when regime forces unleashed chemical weapons against rebel-held towns east and southwest of Damascus Wednesday, while Doctors Without Borders said 355 people had died of "neurotoxic" symptoms.
Damascus has strongly denied it carried out such an attack, instead blaming the rebels.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Western claims his regime used chemical weapons were an "insult to common sense" and warned the United States it faced failure if it attacked Syria, in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia published Monday.
"The comments (accusing the regime of using chemical weapons) made by politicians in the West and other countries are an insult to common sense. It is nonsense," Assad said.
He added: "The United States faces failure (if it attacks Syria), just like in all the previous wars they waged, starting with Vietnam and up to our days."
Syria's foreign ministry said that visiting UN disarmament envoy Angela Kane on Sunday struck the accord with the government for a probe.
The United Nations said the investigation would begin as early as Monday, stressing that the rebels and government were responsible for the safety of the UN inspectors on the ground and that a local ceasefire had been agreed.
UN chief Ban Ki-Moon said there was no time to waste.
"Every hour counts. We cannot afford any more delays," Ban told reporters in Seoul Monday, wrapping up a five-day visit to his homeland.
"The world is watching Syria," Ban said, stressing once again that the UN experts must be allowed "unfettered access" to the site and to work "unimpeded".
"We cannot allow impunity in what appears to be a grave crime against humanity," said Ban.
US officials said Obama, who held crisis talks Saturday with top security aides, would make an "informed decision" about how to respond to an "indiscriminate" chemical weapons attack.
Washington has noted that Syria offered to let UN inspectors view the site of the alleged attack, but suggested it was too little, too late, said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"At this juncture, the belated decision by the regime to grant access to the UN team is too late to be credible, including because the evidence available has been significantly corrupted as a result of the regime's persistent shelling and other intentional actions over the last five days," the official said.
If confirmed, the attack would mark the deadliest use of chemical agents since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein gassed Iranian troops and Kurdish rebels in the 1980s.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said earlier Sunday the US military was "prepared to exercise whatever option" against Syria but intelligence was still being evaluated.
On a visit to Malaysia, Hagel said the US defence department had prepared "options for all contingencies" at Obama's request.
Obama had said a year ago that the use of chemical weapons by Assad's forces was a "red line" that could trigger Western intervention.
On Sunday, a strident warning came from Washington's archfoe Iran.
"If the United States crosses this red line, there will be harsh consequences for the White House," armed forces deputy chief of staff Massoud Jazayeri said, without elaborating.
The Arab League is to meet on Tuesday to discuss the alleged use of chemicals, the bloc's deputy chief Ahmed Ben Helli said.
In Israel, President Shimon Peres called for international efforts to "take out" chemical weapons in Syria as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would pull the "trigger" if needed to protect its people.
More than 100,000 people have been killed in Syria since an uprising against Assad's rule flared in March 2011, the UN says.
Source: AFP