Albanian Foreign Ministry strongly condemns chemical attack in Syria

Tirana, Albania | Tirana Echo – Albania’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the chemical weapons attack against civilians in Syria, asking for an immediate international investigation on the ‘horrific’ act which left more than 100 people dead, including women and children.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania strongly condemns the chemical weapons attack in Syria against innocent civilians, including women and children. Such monstrous act breaks the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and is another intolerable action in the 6 year conflict in Syria.” – said the statement from the Albanian Foreign Ministry.

NATO member Albania supports efforts for an immediate international investigation which would bring those guilty to justice and calls for a political solution which would end the conflict, according to the Foreign Ministry of the NATO member state in the Balkans, a region heavily affected by Syria’s refugee crisis which has used the area as a transit route to seek asylum in other EU countries.

The statement from Tirana comes as the world is shocked by images shared on social media of civilians and children suffering an ‘horrific’ chemical attack in Syria’s northern Idlib province on Tuesday.

More than 100 civilians, including children and women were killed and injured in the attack carried out on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

EU’s High Representative Federica Mogherini pointed out that “Obviously there is a primary responsibility of the regime, because its responsibility is to protect its people, not attack them. Impunity is not an option. Whoever is responsible must account for it”.

US President Trump warned on Wednesday during a press conference with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Washington that he would not tolerate the “heinous” attack, hinting at greater US involvement in the region.

At the UN Security Council, US Ambassador Nikki R. Haley blamed Russia for blocking a swift international response to the attack while warning that the US may go it alone and take unilateral action if the United Nations failed to respond properly.

The United States, France and Britain have accused the Syrian government of responsibility and bitterly criticized Russia — Syria’s main ally in the six-year-old war — for objecting to a resolution they drafted condemning the attack.