Britain could join U.S. against Assad's regime in Syria: Boris Johnson

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ANI London [UK]
Last Updated : Apr 19 2017 | 2:42 PM IST

British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson has said Britain could join U.S. air strikes against the Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria despite a previous vote in the parliament against it.

He also called the Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria as a 'monster'.

Johnson said UK had already been informed about U.S. President Donald Trump's order to bomb the airbase used to launch a suspected chemical attack but Britain was not involved in it.

"It is my belief, though I stress no such decision has yet been taken, that were such a request to be made in future, were it to be a reasonable request in pursuit of similar objectives, then I think it would be very difficult for the United Kingdom to say no," the Independent quoted Johnson as saying.

On President Trump's orders earlier this month, U.S. warships launched between 50-60 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syria Government airbase where the warplanes that carried out the chemical attacks were based.

Former foreign minister Alistair Burt asked Johnson whether the government felt bound by a previous vote in 2013.

David Cameron had previously lost a Commons vote by 285 to 272 for military action against the Syrian government in the wake of a sarin attack that left hundreds of civilians dead on the outskirts of Damascus.

However, Parliament had later approved a limited British air campaign against ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq.

Johnson called on Russia to end its "blind support" for Assad and help towards a political solution to the six-year Syrian civil war.

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First Published: Apr 19 2017 | 2:42 PM IST

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