ABC NEWS
Updated 4 hours 23 minutes ago
Photo: French president Francois Hollande says his nation is prepared to strike Syria even though the British are not. (AFP: Miguel Medina)
French president Francois Hollande says he is still backing action to punish Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government, despite Britain's surprise rejection of armed intervention.
British MPs voted on Thursday against military strikes against the Assad regime for the use of chemical weapons against civilians.
However, Mr Hollande said the British parliament's rebuff would not influence the course of action his country would take.
"France wants firm and proportionate action against the Damascus regime," he said in an interview with Le Monde daily on Friday.
"Each country is free to choose whether to take part in such an operation or not. That holds true for Britain and France."
Key points
_ France to debate strike against Assad regime.
_ Hollande unconcerned by decision against military strike by British MPs.
_ Germany rules out partaking in military action.
_ UN team spends last day investigating chemical strike.
The French parliament is due to meet on Wednesday for an emergency Syria session.
Mr Hollande, who had vowed to "punish" the Syrian government for an alleged chemical weapons attack in Damascus on August 21, said "there was a body of indicators pointing to the responsibility of the Damascus regime."
"The chemical massacre of Damascus cannot remain unpunished," he said, adding: "I will today have a meaningful exchange with [US president] Barack Obama."
Mr Hollande, however, ruled out strikes while the UN inspectors were in Syria investigating the alleged attack.
No apologies over British parliament's decision: Cameron
Meanwhile, British prime minister David Cameron said on Friday that he regretted that the British parliament declined to support military action in Syria, but that he hoped US president Barack Obama would understand his need to listen to the British people's wishes.
The US, which had warned Mr Assad would be crossing a "red line" if chemical weapons were used, said it was still seeking an "interventional coalition" for possible strikes on Syria while reserving the right to act alone.
Mr Cameron said that he did not have to apologise to Mr Obama over the vote.
"I think the American public, the American people and president Obama will understand," Mr Cameron said.
"I haven't spoken to [Obama] since the debate and the vote but I would expect to speak to him over the next day or so. I don't think it's a question of having to apologise," he said in an interview aired on British television channels.
Rudd and Abbott butt heads over Syria response
The political debate over Syria in Australia stepped up a notch on Friday, with Tony Abbott calling for cool heads while Kevin Rudd again attacked his opponent's foreign policy credentials.
In a swipe at the Prime Minister, Mr Abbott said Australia should not exaggerate its role in addressing the crisis in Syria.
The Opposition Leader says it is not a time for "intemperance or for belligerence".
But the Prime Minister highlighted that Australia will take over the reins of the United Nations Security Council, saying Mr Abbott cannot avoid that.
"I know Mr Abbott waged a campaign against Australia becoming a member of the UN Security Council, but if he was to become prime minister in a week's time, he will inherit the presidency of the UN Security Council," Mr Rudd said.
"This is the number one legal entity in the world on matters of global security and from the first of September, Australia has that presidency."
UN inspectors visit military hospital
The UN team investigating the apparent gas attacks headed to a military hospital early on Friday (local time) on the last day of their probe, a security official said.
The official told AFP they were going to the hospital in the Mazzeh district of the Syrian capital, where victims of gas attacks are reportedly being treated.
The inspectors left their hotel in UN-marked cars, accompanied by several vehicles belonging to Syrian forces, an AFP journalist reported.
Syrian authorities accuse rebels of having used poison gas on August 24 in Jobar, another Damascus neighbourhood, to push back an army offensive.
State television said some soldiers had been asphyxiated, and showed images of barrels that authorities reportedly found in the area containing "very dangerous toxic and chemical materials".
The UN inspectors are due to leave Syria by Saturday morning, and will report straight back to UN head Ban Ki-moon.
Germany rules out participation in military strike
Meanwhile, Germany's foreign minister has ruled out his country's participation in a military strike in Syria.
Guido Westerwelle told Saturday's Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung that such a move had "neither been asked nor is it being considered by us", according to pre-released comments by the paper.
"We are pushing for the United Nations Security Council to find a common position and for the work of UN inspectors to be finished as quickly as possible," he added.
Berlin had previously said it would support "consequences" against the Syrian regime if its suspected deadly use of chemical weapons was confirmed, but it did not specify what the consequences would be.
If the gas attacks are confirmed, it would be the deadliest use of chemical weapons since Saddam Hussein gassed Iraqi Kurds in 1988.
Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-30/france-prepared-to-punish-assad-despite-british-no-vote/4926204
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