Syria would be implicitly accepting chemical attack if UN probe not allowed: FM Davutoğlu

ROME - Anadolu Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met his Italian counterpart Emma Bonino in Rome on Aug. 23. Davutoğlu had visited the German and British capitals Aug. 22. AA photo

The Syria regime will be implicitly acknowledging having used chemical weapons if it fails to allow the U.N. chemical weapons inspectors team probe the recent attack in a Damascus suburb, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on Aug. 23.

Speaking to reporters in Rome following his meeting with his Italian counterpart Emma Bonino, Davutoğlu stressed the importance of implementing the "United Nations' system."

"Going step by step, the inspectors' team should prepare its report if Syria allows them to [over the reported attack on Aug. 20]. If it does not allow them, this means that the Syrian regime implicitly acknowledges its crime. In that case, it's up to the U.N. to think about the steps to be taken," Davutoğlu said, calling for the regime to be "punished" if the chemical attack is documented.

"In that case, the task will fall upon the U.N. Security Council. Those who have committed this crime against humanity should be prosecuted with every measure, including the International Criminal Court, and the deserved punishment should be handed to the Syrian regime," he said.

The foreign minister also emphasized the importance of Russia's call for a U.N. probe into the reported chemical attack. "This is a call in a positive direction. We hope that the Syrian regime will give a positive answer to this call so that the U.N. can intervene before the evidence is removed," he said.

Ending two days of talks in Berlin, London and Rome, Davutoğlu said the reported attack had changed the world's agenda, taking attention from the events that followed the recent military takeover in Egypt.

"We discussed the increasing security risks in the Middle East and the stance needed to be adopted in the face of Syria's aggressive attitude. At this point, our perspective overlaps to a great extent with Italy's," Davutoğlu said with regard to his discussions with his European counterparts.

Davutoğlu also condemned the Aug. 23 car bomb attack targeting Sunni mosques in Lebanon's Tripoli that killed at least 42, according to AFP.