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                    Kerry: Syria is 'Dire and Getting Worse'

   by VOA News

   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says the situation in Syria is "dire
   and getting worse." Kerry spoke Monday in London at a news conference
   with British Foreign Secretary William Hague amid growing expectations
   about a military action against the Syrian government because its
   alleged chemical weapons attack on its own people.
   The top U.S. diplomat said the U.S. has evidence the Syrian regime gave
   orders for the attack.
   Hague said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has shown a "murderous
   disregard" for the welfare of his people, and Washington has Britain's
   full support concerning Syria.
   Earlier Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said a U.S.
   military strike could thwart attempts to convene a peace conference in
   Geneva to negotiate a resolution to the Syrian conflict.
   He made the comment in Moscow in a joint news conference with Russian
   Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
   Lavrov rejected outside military intervention in Syria, saying there is
   "no alternative to a peaceful solution" to the crisis in Syria.
   The Obama administration is launching an intense two-day push to
   convince Congress and the American people of what it says is the need
   for a military strike on Syria.
   Top security advisers will hold classified and open-door briefings with
   lawmakers this week. President Barack Obama will give interviews to six
   major television networks Monday before making a White House address to
   the nation Tuesday night.
   The administration also is handing out videos to its allies, U.S.
   lawmakers and broadcasters, showing civilian victims of a chemical
   weapons attack. U.S. officials say they have evidence that proves
   beyond any doubt that Assad's army dropped poison gas in the Damascus
   suburbs last month, killing more than 1,400 people.
   U.S. officials say they want to degrade and deter Syria's ability to
   use chemical weapons again. They say that doing nothing will lead to
   more poison gas attacks and a wider war.
   President Obama has promised to seek congressional approval before
   responding. But many in Congress call his plan for Syria unfocused, and
   say it could embroil the United States in another war.
   In a televised interview to air in the U.S. Monday, Assad denies
   ordering a chemical weapons attack. He says the evidence is not
   conclusive that such an attack even took place.
   U.S. Secretary of State Kerry was in Paris Sunday at an Arab League
   foreign ministers' meeting. He said the ministers agree that Syria's
   use of chemical weapons was deplorable and that many of them support a
   G-20 statement calling for a strong international response.
   United Nations inspectors plan to issue their report on Syria shortly.
   Kerry says President Obama has not yet decided whether to wait for the
   U.N. report before taking action on Syria.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-syria-is-dire-and-getting-worse
   /1745809.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-syria-is-dire-and-getting-worse/1745809.html