NATO not to participate in Syria attack

NATO has declined to participate in the possible attack on Syria over allegations of the Bashar-al-Assad regime recently using chemical weapons against civilians.

"I see no NATO role in an international reaction to the Syrian regime," reported Xinhua citing NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen in a Danish daily.

He said NATO's role would primarily be to support the member country Turkey and defend it against any attack from Syria.

The NATO chief said he believed that the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack against civilians and termed the incident as "a clear violation of international standards -- a crime that can't be ignored".

"I have no doubt that the regime carried out the chemical attack," Rasmussen added, "When you look at who has the chemical stocks and the means to use them in an attack, you have to say that it is the regime."

He stressed that NATO countries support the UN's investigation into the alleged attack. The inspectors have visited the site of the Aug 21 suspected gas attack and are expected to leave Syria Saturday.

On Thursday, the British parliament refused to authorise its government to take part in a potential military action against Syria, while Germany also signalled that it would not be part of such a military intervention.