U.N. Chief Hints at Findings in Syria
U.N.
Chief Ban Ki-moon said inspectors concluded chemical weapons had been
used in Syria, and that Bashar al-Assad was responsible for crimes
against humanity.
U.N. Chief Hints at Findings in Syria
Report Will Find Weapons Use, Ban Says
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Mr. Haq also said Mr. Ban's remark about crimes against humanity shouldn't be linked to his remark about findings of chemical-weapons use.
The U.S. and some of its allies have said they are certain the Syrian government was responsible for the attack, which the Obama administration said killed more than 1,400 people. Russia, Syria and Iran have said opposition rebels were responsible for the attack.
For the U.N., responsibility has remained an open question. U.N. inspectors were in Damascus on Aug. 21, but were unable for several days to reach the suburbs where chemical-weapons use was reported. The inspectors left Syria at the end of August, after the U.S. assessment was released. The U.N. inspectors are mandated to determine only whether chemical weapons were used, not who used them. Until Friday, Mr. Ban had only spoken of an "alleged" chemical-weapons attack on Aug. 21.
"I believe that the report will be an overwhelming, overwhelming report that chemical weapons [were] used even though I cannot publicly say at this time before I receive this report," Mr. Ban said Friday, according to the Associated Press. Mr. Ban made the comments during a question-and-answer session following a meeting on women's rights. The inspectors' findings are expected to be released as soon as Monday, according to a Western diplomat.
"I believe the secretary-general was speaking about what his ideas are and very soon he will have the report," Mr. Haq told a news conference at U.N. headquarters after Mr. Ban's comments.
Mr. Haq said that some of the samples collected by the inspectors at the site of the attack were still being analyzed. He said he was "not privy to the information" Mr. Ban has that would have led him to make his remarks.
The U.N. report isn't expected to assign blame, but could indicate blame by the nature of its findings.
Nations have awaited the report as a way to sway the debate about a military attack.
In the U.S., findings could influence Congress in any pending vote on military action.
French President François Hollande said that France's final decision on whether to take part in a military operation would wait until after the U.N. inspectors report. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Thursday the report would confirm the Syrian government's guilt.
Write to Joe Lauria at newseditor@wsj.com
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