NATO calls for political solution to Syria crisis

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday urged the international community to redouble its efforts to find a political solution to the Syria crisis. "The recent developments (in Syria) remain of grave concern and emphasizes how urgent it is that the international community should redouble its efforts to find a political solution to this crisis," Rasmussen said during his monthly press conference. The NATO chief stressed that there was no change of the military alliance's stance on Syria, but it had deep concerns over the possible use of chemical weapons, risks of regional spillover and the humanitarian crisis in Syria. "We do have indications that chemical weapons may have been used. However, we don't have consolidated information as regards more detailed circumstances including who have actually used chemical weapons," he said, adding any use of chemical weapons is a breach of the international law. Rasmussen said the international community, especially the permanent members of the UN Security Council should reach an agreement and send a united signal to the Syrian regime that "time has come to initiate a transition that can lead to a political solution." He said he believed it was still possible to reach a political solution in the framework of the Geneva Communique, which aims to end the bloodshed in Syria and was agreed by all five UN Security Council permanent members.