(MENAFN- Arab Times) Kuwait called Thursday for international "deterrent" action against Syria following an alleged chemical attack near Damascus last week. A government statement urged the international community "to assume its moral responsibility towards the crimes committed in Syria and take practical deterrent measures to prevent" new attacks.
The statement comes as the United States and Britain laid out their case for punitive military strikes against Damascus over the alleged Aug 21 chemical attack. UN chief Ban Ki-moon has appealed for the West to give peace a chance, saying arms inspectors on the ground in Syria would report back to him by Saturday on their probe into the alleged attack. Rights groups say hundreds of people were killed, including children, when poisonous gas was unleashed on suburbs of Damascus last week. The Syrian opposition has blamed regime forces for the attack but the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad blamed rebels.
The Council of Ministers held an extraordinary meeting on Thursday inside the Prime Minister's Office at Seif Palace to discuss the current situation in the region. The meeting was chaired by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah At the end of the meeting, the State Minister for Cabinet Affairs and Minister of Health Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah informed journalists that the meeting focused on discussions about the current situation in the region. He stressed that the looming military face-off in Syria due to the callous use of chemical weapons against the Syrian civilians last week made the meeting imperative. He explained that thousands of innocent Syrians died from the heinous operation that had violated international principles and regulations. He stressed that the action also violated humanitarian values and ethics, adding that if the international community did not intervene at the right time, many other innocent people will be victimized.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah indicated that the ministers presented several reports during the meeting to ascertain the readiness of their respective ministries as well as the precautionary measures to face all possible issues particularly security measures and basic services. He revealed that a team headed by the Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al- Khaled Al-Sabah was formed during the meeting to complete the remaining procedures necessary to follow-up the latest developments. He emphasized that the team will execute the approved plans to face emergency cases and protect the national security and stability. He indicated that the Cabinet shares the plight of Syrians, seeking God's protection over them and the stability of the country. He prayed for them to live in freedom, dignity and peace and hoped that efforts of the international community to stop the bloodshed and human suffering in Syria will not go in vain. In the run-up to take all precautions regarding security matters in the country at this time of regional turbulence, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khalid Al- Hamad Al-Sabah met today with the top leaderships in the ministry of Interior to review security plans that could be resorted to in the event of emergencies in the country dictated by regional happenings.
The meeting, attended by the ministry's undersecretary Lt General Ghazi Abdulrahman al-Omar and a number of assistant undersecretaries, went over assessing the full capabilities of civil defense tactics and plans including effective means of protecting vital government agencies and infrastructure and ensuring the readiness of civil defense workers to execute their duties with competence. Sheikh Mohammad heads the nation's civil defense commission and in that capacity he expressed satisfaction with what he deemed as readiness of security agencies and apparatuses to take up the task of protecting people and property during an emergency.
The Cabinet, during the session held at Al-Seif Palace, was briefed by ministers about preparations that had been taken by the departments as a precaution against all possibilities at the security level "and all matters related to securing basic services, supplies, basis of security, stability, facilitating citizens' work and serving their interests." The Cabinet tasked a team headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to complete all necessary precautions. The team is charged with following up on events and developments, executing the plans for coping with diverse emergencies, taking all necessary precautions to preserve the country security and stability, ensuring all services, needs for the citizens and residents.
Also in this regard, the Kuwaiti Government affirmed its support for the brotherly Syrian people in their humanitarian ordeal, urging His Almighty to bestow upon them security and stability, so they may live freely, in dignity and peace. Moreover, the Cabinet expressed hope the international efforts would result in ending the blood-shed and the painful and tragic conditions suffered by the Syrian people. The Ministry of Electricity has put all its personnel on alert to cope with any emergency conditions and to ensure continuous water and power services to citizens and residents of Kuwait. The ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the ministry officials held a meeting to activate the emergency plan, due to current regional instability.
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