This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39526089
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Syria strikes: World reaction to US missile attack | Syria strikes: World reaction to US missile attack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| World leaders have been responding to US President Donald Trump's overnight missile strikes on a Syrian government air base suspected of launching a chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday. | World leaders have been responding to US President Donald Trump's overnight missile strikes on a Syrian government air base suspected of launching a chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday. |
| Russia | Russia |
| Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian President Vladimir Putin, described the US air strikes on the Shayrat airbase as "an act of aggression against a sovereign state delivered in violation of international law under a far-fetched pretext". | |
| His statement said Washington's actions had "dealt a serious blow to Russian-US relations, which are already in a poor state". | His statement said Washington's actions had "dealt a serious blow to Russian-US relations, which are already in a poor state". |
| The strikes would "create a major obstacle to the establishment of an international counterterrorist coalition", it added. | The strikes would "create a major obstacle to the establishment of an international counterterrorist coalition", it added. |
| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called it "an act of aggression under a completely invented pretext". | |
| "Everything resembles the situation of 2003, when the USA, the UK and several of their allies invaded Iraq without the UN Security Council's approval - a grave violation of international law - but at that point they at least tried to show some material evidence." | |
| UK | UK |
| The UK government said it fully supported the strikes and had been in close contact with the US government beforehand. | The UK government said it fully supported the strikes and had been in close contact with the US government beforehand. |
| Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC: "The Americans believe they've exhausted all possible diplomatic and peaceful ways of dealing with the use by the regime of chemical weapons and they have been determined to try to prevent future attacks like this so they've taken this action today." | Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC: "The Americans believe they've exhausted all possible diplomatic and peaceful ways of dealing with the use by the regime of chemical weapons and they have been determined to try to prevent future attacks like this so they've taken this action today." |
| He said the US "hasn't declared war" on Syria and the UK had not been asked to get involved. | He said the US "hasn't declared war" on Syria and the UK had not been asked to get involved. |
| European Union | European Union |
| The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, tweeted his reaction to the unilateral airstrikes. | The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, tweeted his reaction to the unilateral airstrikes. |
| France and Germany | France and Germany |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande issued a joint statement in response to the US air strike. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande issued a joint statement in response to the US air strike. |
| It said: "President Assad alone bears the responsibility for this development. His repeated use of chemical weapons and his crimes against his own people demand sanctions which France and Germany already asked for in the summer of 2013 after the massacre at Ghouta." | It said: "President Assad alone bears the responsibility for this development. His repeated use of chemical weapons and his crimes against his own people demand sanctions which France and Germany already asked for in the summer of 2013 after the massacre at Ghouta." |
| Iran | Iran |
| A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, quoted by ISNA news agency, said: "Iran strongly condemns any such unilateral strikes ... such measures will strengthen terrorists in Syria... and will complicate the situation in Syria and the region." | A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, quoted by ISNA news agency, said: "Iran strongly condemns any such unilateral strikes ... such measures will strengthen terrorists in Syria... and will complicate the situation in Syria and the region." |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Turkey's foreign ministry said on Friday it viewed US missile strikes against a Syrian air base "extremely positively" and added that Turkey would fully support steps that would ensure accountability for the Syrian regime. | Turkey's foreign ministry said on Friday it viewed US missile strikes against a Syrian air base "extremely positively" and added that Turkey would fully support steps that would ensure accountability for the Syrian regime. |
| Meanwhile Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman called for the creation of a no-fly zone and safe zones within Syria. | Meanwhile Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman called for the creation of a no-fly zone and safe zones within Syria. |
| China | China |
| "What is urgent now is to avoid further deterioration of the situation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a regular press briefing. | "What is urgent now is to avoid further deterioration of the situation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a regular press briefing. |
| "We oppose use of chemical weapons by any country, organisation or individual in any circumstance, for any purpose." | "We oppose use of chemical weapons by any country, organisation or individual in any circumstance, for any purpose." |
| Australia | Australia |
| "The Australian government strongly supports the swift and just response of the United States," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said. | "The Australian government strongly supports the swift and just response of the United States," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said. |
| "This was a calibrated, proportionate and targeted response. It sends a strong message to the Assad regime." | "This was a calibrated, proportionate and targeted response. It sends a strong message to the Assad regime." |
| Italy | Italy |
| Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that the US strikes were a "motivated response to a war crime" that the Syrian regime was responsible for. | Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that the US strikes were a "motivated response to a war crime" that the Syrian regime was responsible for. |
| Mr Gentiloni added that he hoped the strike "should accelerate chances of political negotiations for a long lasting solution" to the Syrian crisis. | Mr Gentiloni added that he hoped the strike "should accelerate chances of political negotiations for a long lasting solution" to the Syrian crisis. |
| Poland | Poland |
| Poland's President Andrzej Duda expressed his full support for the military operation in a statement. | |
| "President Donald Trump's decision to attack one of the Syrian air bases was a reaction to the use by Assad's military regime of chemical weapons against civilians. The civilised world could not be indifferent to this act of unimaginable barbarity." |