European Union hints at new measures on Syria

The European Union has already imposed a range of economic sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, cutting off most diplomatic and economic links, but to no avail.

The report came as experts from the worldwide chemical weapons watchdog were in Damascus, waiting to visit the site of the suspected chemical attack in the town of Douma, just east of Damascus.

Also the Syrian government has offered the OPCW access to what it said were 22 witnesses of the attack and the OPCW investigation relies on probes that can be conducted only on the site of a suspected attack.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday said the military strikes on Syria were not about regime change, but about sending a clear message that the worldwide community will not stand by and tolerate the use of chemical weapons.

The comments came after the announcement that the U.S.is prepared to ramp up pressure against Russian Federation in the form of economic sanctions in a bid to halt Moscow’s support for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who is accused of perpetrating the recent chemical attack.

Mr Ryabkov’s remarks could indicate a possible attempt to bog down the team, even though both Russian Federation and the Syrian government have welcomed the OPCW visit.

“Relief organisations say dozens of men, women and children were killed in the attack”.

The Assad regime denied carrying out a chemical attack, and Russian Federation, which is supporting the Syrian government in the civil war, claimed there was no evidence of it taking place after its own investigators went to the scene.

His deputy minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said the mission can not access the site without a United Nations permit.

There was no comment from the OPCW or the U.N.’s security department. The Syrian Foreign Ministry denied the claims, saying that the use of chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta may have been planned by terrorist groups.

They arrived in Damascus on Saturday. So we have not done this because President Trump asked us to do so.

Inspectors have not yet been granted access to sites in Douma, the British delegation to the OPCW said Monday, citing the agency’s director general.

The delays prompted a bout of complaints from the United States and U.K, which both called on Syria and Russian Federation to allow the inspectors unfettered access. Foreign ministers, in their statement, did single out Russian Federation and Iran, as well as Turkey, for blame, calling for an end to the war and humanitarian access to all besieged areas, saying 13.1 million people were in need of assistance, many trapped.

AMMAN (Reuters) – A false alarm led to Syrian air defense missiles being fired overnight and no new attack on Syria took place, Syrian state media and a military commander said on Tuesday.