VILNIUS—European Union foreign ministers said on Saturday there appeared to be "strong evidence" that Syria's government was behind the alleged use of chemical weapons against rebels and urged a "clear and strong" response.
However, the ministers said they hoped that United Nations inspectors sent to investigate last month's attack would be allowed to present their report before any action was taken.
The group's statement, which came at the end of a two-day meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, followed discussions with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who met with the ministers Saturday morning.
Mr. Kerry said at a news conference that he was "very grateful" for the group's statement on the "need for accountability" in Syria. France and Denmark are among the EU governments who say they could join U.S. led strikes.
Zuma Press
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks during the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday.
The EU statement, the bloc's strongest since the alleged chemical attack, could prove a boost for the Obama administration as it seeks to show the U.S. has international backing for action against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Still, there was no explicit support for the idea of military strikes in the EU's statement.
"We were unanimous in condemning in the strongest terms this horrific attack. Information from a wide variety of sources confirms the existence of such an attack and seems to indicate strong evidence that the Syrian regime is responsible for this attack," EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.
"In the face of this cynical use of chemical weapons, the international community cannot remain idle. A clear and strong response is crucial to make clear that such crimes are unacceptable and that there will be no impunity."
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