By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama held discussion with his French counterpart Francois Hollande on a possible coordinated response to the alleged chemical weapons use by the Syrian government, the White House said.
“The two leaders expressed their grave concern about the reported use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime against civilians near Damascus Wednesday, August 21,” Xinhua quoted the White House as saying Sunday.
“President Obama and President Hollande discussed possible responses by the international community and agreed to continue to consult closely,” said the White House statement.
The call was part of the Obama administration’s ongoing efforts to rally international support for a possible military response to the Syrian government, amid rising political pressure both at home and abroad.
In Paris, the French president’s Office issued a statement Sunday, saying the French leader told Obama that everything indicates that the Syrian government was “the perpetrator of these unacceptable attacks”.
Amid reports that the Obama administration is considering possible military intervention in Syria, the US Navy has sent a fourth warship armed with cruise missiles into the eastern Mediterranean sea.
Also Saturday, Obama convened a meeting of his national security team to assess the latest intelligence concerning the alleged chemical attack in Syria, and discuss the options of possible US and international responses.