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France reiterates support for WMD investigation in Syria

PARIS, April 9 (KUNA) -- The French government said on Tuesday that it was fully behind a UN-sponsored mission to investigate allegations of chemical weapons' use in the Syrian conflict.
After initially accusing opposition rebels of using Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and then calling on the UN to investigate, the Damascus regime is now saying it will not give free access to weapons inspectors to determine who used what, and when in Syria.
French officials stressed that these types of investigations were complicated and difficult, firstly to prove some chemical or other weapon was used and, secondly, to attribute the responsibility to someone in particular.
Both the Syrian regime and the opposition accuse each other of using WMD of some description.
But Paris also stressed on Tuesday that Syria's "refusal" to allow in a UN mission was "regrettable" and "raised doubts" about the role Damascus may have played in alleged incidents.
The UN has asked to put the mission in place "without delay, without conditions and without exceptions," meaning inspectors would have free reign to carry out their inquiry, but Damascus is balking at such a range of inspections.
"We support this mission...and the conditions" set out by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, French spokesman Philippe Lalliot said.
He said inspectors must have "total freedom of movement and freedom to inspect." (End) jk.tg KUNA 091658 Apr 13NNNN