国际英语新闻:France, U.S. urge "limited", "strong" action to answer Syrian chemical attack

PARIS, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday stressed the need to take quick moves to respond the alleged use of the deadly gas in Damascus.

"To let a criminal free is an incentive for him to re-offend. (Syrian President Bashar) al-Assad will not participate in any negotiation as he believes that he was invincible," the French top diplomat said.

Fabius added that all the members of the UN Security Council should denounce the Syrian government and support the use of force. However, "the solution to end the Syrian crisis will be political," he reiterated.

In a European tour to discuss an international response to the Syrian regime's alleged use of chemical weapons, Kerry said the international community "should not remain indifferent in face of the massacre."

"We must give a clear, targeted and effective answer that aims at reducing the Syrian regime's capacity of using chemical arms and dissuade it of using them once again," Kerry noted.

The U.S. official told reporters that the possible strike on Syria will be limited, dismissing fears over getting involved in another war in the Middle East.

He said U.S. President Barack Obama has made no decisions about waiting for a UN weapons inspectors' report on chemical arms used in Syria, and he was keeping all of his options open.

The Obama administration accuses al-Assad's government of using chemical weapons against its own people, which Damascus denies, and Obama has asked Congress to authorize a punitive military strike.

The two ministers also welcomed the "growing and wide support" for a strong action against Syrian authorities.

"Right now, seven of the eight countries in the G8 share our opinion on a strong reaction and 12 countries of the G20 also share this opinion," Fabius said.

At a joint press meeting with his French counterpart, Kerry unveiled "a double digit number of countries that are prepared to take military action."

While Obama delayed a decision on the Syrian crisis for a congressional vote, French President Francois Hollande has said to unveil his response by the end of next week.

Recent polls showed a large majority of Americans and French opposed a military intervention in the Arab country.