Merkel says Germany not to take part in strike on Syria

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Germany will not take part in a possible military airstrike on Syria, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Danish prime minister in Berlin, the Chancellor said Germany was closely following recent moves by the U.S. and France, after a suspected chemical attack by the Syrian regime in Douma.

“There is no decision yet, let me underline this,” Merkel said, adding that she spoke today on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Germany will not participate in possible military operations, but we will support any effort that would put down a marker that says any use of chemical weapons is simply not acceptable,” she said.

Merkel underlined that Germany would continue supporting all efforts at the UN Security Council, and the work of international chemical weapons watchdog OPCW on investigating the chemical attacks in Syria.