France wants to start working “right now” on resuming the political process aimed at ending the conflict in Syria, officials said on Saturday after Western powers carried out what it called “legitimate”
military strikes against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
“A plan for ending the crisis must be found, with a political solution.
We are ready to start working right now with all countries who want to participate,” Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian said at a press conference.
Speaking alongside Defence Minister Florence Parly, he said the strikes carried out overnight by France, Britain and the US were “legitimate” in retaliation for the suspected chemical weapons attack in the rebel-held Syrian enclave of Douma last week.
“A chemical escalation in Syria is not acceptable,” le Drian said, calling the strikes “proportional and targeted”.