Arab League holds Syria responsible for chemical attack

Speaking in Brunei, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the military was prepared to launch a strike against the Syrian regime over alleged chemical attacks once President Barack Obama gave the order.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem challenged the Western powers Tuesday to provide their evidence on the involvement of the Syrian troops in chemical arms use in Damascus' countryside.

"Syria will defend itself with all available means in case the US decided to attack the country," he stressed.

"We have means to defend ourselves that would surprise the world and we must be confident in victory," he went on saying.

In Paris, French President Francois Hollande said his country was "ready to punish" those behind the alleged chemical attacks, adding France would 'increase military support' to the main Syrian opposition.

Britain, meanwhile, said its armed forces were drawing up contingency plans for action in Syria, but Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said Britain was not seeking to topple Assad.

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said the suspected chemical attack was a "crime against humanity" that "cannot go unpunished".

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Moscow would not get involved in any military conflict, and it has warned that intervention would have "catastrophic consequences" for the volatile Middle East.

Meanwhile, Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi asserted Egypt refutes military intervention in Syria, stressing that "the political solution is the only way for ending the crisis".

"Egypt rejects military intervention in Syria, as we believe a political solution is the only way out for the crisis there," Fahmi said during a press conference on Tuesday, while expressing hopes that resolving the war-torn country's crisis will be reached during Geneva II conference.

The FM reiterated Egypt's support for the Syrian people in its revolution, while doesn't support Jihad "holy war" against Syrian regime.

"Egypt condemns the use of chemical weapons, not only in Syria," said Fahmi noting such fatal weapons against civilians are strongly opposed.

Fahmi noted that the Security Council is the first and logic body to respond to such crimes during an international consensus.