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| Syria crisis: Nato in chemical weapons warning | Syria crisis: Nato in chemical weapons warning |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has underlined US President Barack Obama's warning to the Syrian government not to use chemical weapons against its own people. | Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has underlined US President Barack Obama's warning to the Syrian government not to use chemical weapons against its own people. |
| At a Nato foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Mr Rasmussen said their use would be "completely unacceptable". | At a Nato foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Mr Rasmussen said their use would be "completely unacceptable". |
| The foreign ministers are expected to approve the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries to Turkey. | The foreign ministers are expected to approve the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries to Turkey. |
| The move is designed to defend Turkey's border with Syria. | The move is designed to defend Turkey's border with Syria. |
| Nato's expected deployment of Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries to south-eastern Turkey is essentially a gesture of reassurance to Ankara. | Nato's expected deployment of Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries to south-eastern Turkey is essentially a gesture of reassurance to Ankara. |
| Turkey feels threatened by the growing crisis in Syria. Stray Syrian artillery shells have already come across the border on several occasions. Turkey fears that worse could follow. | Turkey feels threatened by the growing crisis in Syria. Stray Syrian artillery shells have already come across the border on several occasions. Turkey fears that worse could follow. |
| Patriot is highly capable against both advanced aircraft and ballistic missiles. But Nato will underline that this is to be seen as a defensive deployment only. Patriot has no capacity to deal with stray shell fire. | Patriot is highly capable against both advanced aircraft and ballistic missiles. But Nato will underline that this is to be seen as a defensive deployment only. Patriot has no capacity to deal with stray shell fire. |
| While Patriot can reach into Syrian airspace, Nato is at pains to stress that this is in no sense a step towards establishing a no-fly zone over Syria. Nonetheless, Nato may also hope that there will be a deterrent effect that may dissuade Syria from operating its aircraft too close to the Turkish frontier. | While Patriot can reach into Syrian airspace, Nato is at pains to stress that this is in no sense a step towards establishing a no-fly zone over Syria. Nonetheless, Nato may also hope that there will be a deterrent effect that may dissuade Syria from operating its aircraft too close to the Turkish frontier. |
| Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Rasmussen told reporters: "The possible use of chemical weapons would be completely unacceptable for the whole international community. | Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Rasmussen told reporters: "The possible use of chemical weapons would be completely unacceptable for the whole international community. |
| "If anybody resorts to these terrible weapons, then I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community." | "If anybody resorts to these terrible weapons, then I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community." |
| The meeting of the 28-member Western military alliance's foreign ministers in Brussels follows a request from Turkey to boost its defences along the border. Nato officials have made clear such a move would be purely defensive. | The meeting of the 28-member Western military alliance's foreign ministers in Brussels follows a request from Turkey to boost its defences along the border. Nato officials have made clear such a move would be purely defensive. |
| President Obama has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he would face "consequences" if he used chemical weapons against his people. | |
| "The world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable," said Mr Obama in a speech at the National Defense University in Washington. | "The world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable," said Mr Obama in a speech at the National Defense University in Washington. |
| "If you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be consequences and you will be held accountable." | "If you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be consequences and you will be held accountable." |
| A Syrian official has insisted the country would "never, under any circumstances" use such weapons, "if such weapons exist". | A Syrian official has insisted the country would "never, under any circumstances" use such weapons, "if such weapons exist". |
| Activists say more than 40,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011 - hundreds of thousands of people have also fled the country. | |
| On Tuesday, a teacher and a number of students were killed in attack on their school inside the Wafideen refugee camp near Damascus. | |
| State media said the victims were killed by rebel mortar fire, but activists have blamed government troops. | |
| Rebel gains | Rebel gains |
| A Nato team has already visited a number of sites in Turkey in preparation for the deployment of Patriot batteries, which could be used to shoot down any Syrian missiles or warplanes that stray over the border, says BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale. | A Nato team has already visited a number of sites in Turkey in preparation for the deployment of Patriot batteries, which could be used to shoot down any Syrian missiles or warplanes that stray over the border, says BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale. |
| The missile deployment is likely to be approved despite opposition from Russia, whose foreign minister is also attending Tuesday's meeting in Brussels, adds our correspondent. | The missile deployment is likely to be approved despite opposition from Russia, whose foreign minister is also attending Tuesday's meeting in Brussels, adds our correspondent. |
| But analysts say any deployment - possibly supplied by the US, Germany or the Netherlands - could take weeks. | But analysts say any deployment - possibly supplied by the US, Germany or the Netherlands - could take weeks. |
| Syrian opposition fighters have reportedly made dramatic gains recently, and several government mortar shells - aimed at rebel targets close to the border - have landed across its 900-km (560-mile) border with Turkey. | Syrian opposition fighters have reportedly made dramatic gains recently, and several government mortar shells - aimed at rebel targets close to the border - have landed across its 900-km (560-mile) border with Turkey. |
| Ankara's request for Nato to deploy the anti-missile batteries came after intelligence assessments that Damascus was contemplating using ballistic missiles, potentially armed with chemical warheads, reports say. | Ankara's request for Nato to deploy the anti-missile batteries came after intelligence assessments that Damascus was contemplating using ballistic missiles, potentially armed with chemical warheads, reports say. |
| Syria is believed to hold chemical weapons - including mustard gas and sarin, a highly toxic nerve agent - at dozens of sites around the country. | Syria is believed to hold chemical weapons - including mustard gas and sarin, a highly toxic nerve agent - at dozens of sites around the country. |
| The CIA has said those weapons "can be delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile and artillery rockets". | The CIA has said those weapons "can be delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile and artillery rockets". |
| One unnamed US official told the New York Times on Monday that the level of concern in Washington was such that contingency plans were being prepared. | |
| On Monday the United Nations said it was pulling "all non-essential international staff" out of Syria, with as many as 25 out of 100 international staff expected to leave this week. | On Monday the United Nations said it was pulling "all non-essential international staff" out of Syria, with as many as 25 out of 100 international staff expected to leave this week. |
| The European Union has withdrawn its mission altogether. The ambassador and head of delegation to Syria, Vassilis Bontosoglou, left Damascus with his six remaining international staff members on Tuesday morning. | The European Union has withdrawn its mission altogether. The ambassador and head of delegation to Syria, Vassilis Bontosoglou, left Damascus with his six remaining international staff members on Tuesday morning. |
| Although the head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi told AFP on Monday that the Syrian government could fall "any time", it still holds the capital, parts of the second city Aleppo, and other centres. | Although the head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi told AFP on Monday that the Syrian government could fall "any time", it still holds the capital, parts of the second city Aleppo, and other centres. |
| Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi is said to have fled the country, amid reports he has been dismissed, ostensibly for making statements out of line with government policy. | Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi is said to have fled the country, amid reports he has been dismissed, ostensibly for making statements out of line with government policy. |