News   /   France

Macron takes fire for Syria attack as France moves to revoke Assad's Legion of Honor

French President Emmanuel Macron waves after escorting Canada's Prime Minister (not seem) following their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on April 16, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron is taking fire for his country's participation in the recent US-led airstrikes on Syrian.

On Monday, the head of the far-left France Insoumise party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, said that there was no proof of the chemical attacks which were used as a pretext to the US-led strikes.

"It's in this context that morals and the adherence to the resolution of the United Nations does not fully prove advantageous, that we intervened, without any proof. I'm not saying without certainty or conviction. I'm not saying that intelligence services are incapable of evaluating the situation," he added.

"But according to international law and international action, we can only act based on proof confirmed by institutions that are responsible. However, these institutions were in the process of conducting their investigations at the time of the strikes," he said during parliamentary debate on the airstrikes.  

He further noted that strikes were carried out without a mandate from the United Nations.

"I'm adding that not only did we not have any mandate from the United Nations, but we did not at all consider any regional organization involved in the situation in Syria, or at least Western ones," he added.

Melenchon went on to stress that the attacks were carried out without consideration of "the people in whose name we claim to act."

The leader of the far-right Front National, Marine Le Pen, also said that Macron had not offered any evidence of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

On Sunday, Macron defending the strikes claiming that he convinced US President Donald Trump to keep troops in Syria.

He added that his mandate to call for a military strike “is given democratically to the president by the people in the presidential election.”

Early on Saturday, the US, Britain and France carried out a string of airstrikes against Syria over a suspected chemical weapons attack against the city of Douma, located about 10 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus.

The Syrian government has rejected claims that it was behind the suspected chemical attack near the capital Damascus on April 7. The attack purportedly took place in the former militant-held town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta.

Read More:

France to revoke Assad's Legion of Honor

Meanwhile, France has launched the process of revoking Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Legion of Honor award, the country’s highest distinction.

Assad was given the honor by then French President Jacques Chirac in 2001.

According to a source in the French president's office, the country plans to president's office.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Press TV News Roku