Cameron backs Washington stance on Syria

David Cameron has backed Washington’s “candid assessment” that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons and admitted it left international leaders facing “difficult” questions.

The British prime minister, who was due to speak to the US president by telephone last night ahead of the G8 summit, said Bashar al-Assad’s use of the weapons against his own people “under our noses” must be addressed.

In an interview for The Guardian, Cameron said: “We do (share the US judgment). I discussed this with President Obama on my recent visit. Our intelligence agencies have been sharing information.

“We share their view that, as we put it, growing levels of information about chemical weapons used by the regime and no firm evidence that chemical weapons have been used by the opposition. I welcome this candid assessment by the Americans.

“I think it, rightly, puts back centre-stage the question...What are we going to do about the fact that in our world today there is a dictatorial and brutal leader who is using chemical weapons under our noses against his own people?”

Britain’s foreign secretary William Hague said a “strong, determined and coordinated response from the international community” is required.

The UK led calls for the EU to lift its arms embargo on Syria, but the British government said no decision to provide weapons to rebels had been taken.