Tillerson vows 'appropriate response' to Syria suspected chemical attack

West Palm Beach - Agence France-Presse

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on April 6 said Washington would make an "appropriate response" to the April 4 suspected chemical attack in Syria, while calling for the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

"We are considering an appropriate response (to the) violations of all previous UN resolutions, violations of international norms," he said in televised comments at the Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, where he greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping who was arriving for a summit with US President Donald Trump.

Tillerson did not specify what actions the United States would take.

He added: "Assad’s role in the future is uncertain and with the acts that he has taken, it would seem that there would be no role for him to govern the Syrian people."

Tillerson also issued a warning to Russia that its support of the Assad government is something that it should "consider carefully."

Meanwhile, U.S. missile strikes on a Syrian air base are unlikely to halt U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson's planned visit to Moscow next week, the head of the Russian lower house of parliament's international affairs committee said.

"I don't think this will impact Tillerson's visit, we need to restore dialogue. We should welcome Tillerson, exchange views and try and talk sense into Washington," Leonid Slutsky told the Russia 24 television channel, Interfax reported.

"That's much better than hiding behind walls." Tillerson is due to visit Russia for talks next week.