International community must respond, says May

SYRIA: UK, US and France agree to work closely in wake of chemical attack

Theresa May has “agreed” in telephone conversations with Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron that the international community “needed to respond” following reports of a suspected chemical attack in Syria.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister spoke to the US and French Presidents yesterday, and they agreed to “continue working closely together” to ensure those responsible were “held to account”.

The US is looking to the UK and France for support as it finalises its response to the assault on the rebel-held town of Douma.

President Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had already agreed to coordinate a “strong, joint response” after talks by telephone.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said Mrs May held separate calls with the two leaders and that they agreed the reports of a chemical weapons attack in Syria were “utterly reprehensible”.

“They agreed that the international community needed to respond to uphold the worldwide prohibition on the use of chemical weapons.

“They agreed they would continue working closely together and with international partners to ensure that those responsible were held to account.”

President Trump has said an apparent poison gas attack in Syria will be “met forcefully” and held talks with his military leaders in Washington on Monday night.

Mr Trump did not give a time-frame for any retaliatory action, but said the US could not stand by as such atrocities take place because “we are able to stop it”.

The President’s comments came after Moscow’s ambassador to the UN warned of the potential consequences of Western intervention in Syria.

Vassily Nebenzia said US attacks on Syria “could lead to grave repercussions” during heated exchanges at the UN Security Council.

Mr Nebenzia dismissed claims the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons as “fake news” as he called for inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to fly to Syria on Tuesday to visit the site of the attack, which has left at least 40 people, including children, dead.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson discussed the situation with acting US secretary of state John Sullivan twice on Monday.