Foreign minister says Assad’s heinous crimes cannot go unpunished

Foreign affairs minister George Vella today said that convincing evidence was provided by US Secretary of State John Kerry showing that the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attacks which killed hundreds last week.

However, the minister reiterated the government's strong reservations against any military intervention of retaliation against the Assad regime.

Vella pointed out that in a previous statement the government had said that "there exists no hundred percent proof that these chemical poisons were used by the Assad regime."

However, in today's statement Vella said convincing information was given yesterday by Secretary of State John Kerry, in which satellite images show evidence of rockets fired from regime controlled areas striking neighbourhoods where the chemical attacks reportedly occurred.

"This makes the case against the Assad regime, as being the perpetrator and the one responsible for these heineous acts, more plausible and more credible," Vella said.

He added that Malta "unreservedly" condemned the perpetrators of such henious crimes, and reiterated "its firm belief that such atrocious crimes cannot go unpunished, and that those responsible should eventually be held responsible for their actions according to international law."

However, the minister expressed the government's strong reservations against any military intervention of retaliation against the Assad regime.

"This stand against any military action is based on the fact that any military intervention, however small in such a turbulent region, will in all probability ignite the whole region, and lead to an escalation of hostilities upon which no will have any control whatsoever."

Vella appealed to the international community and to the United Nations Security Council to lead the way towards diplomatic solutions, and the convening of the Geneva II Conference.