LONDON, August 28 (Itar-Tass) - UK Prime Minister David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, will hold a session of the UK National Security Council (NSC) here on Wednesday to discuss matters relating to a reaction to the situation in the S.A.R.
Under his chairmanship, the chiefs of security services of the Defense Ministry and government ministers are expected to give a final shape to options of any military strike at the territory of the republic.
In the past days, British sources reported that the most likely scenario now is a Navy cruise missile attack against the strategic targets of the government of the SAR President Bashar Assad. The sources also mentioned a far-reaching campaign of aerial bombardment in echelons.
This week, Cameron interrupted his summer vacation and returned to London in order to coordinate the country's policy with regard to Syria. In the recent days he has held numerous consultations with the leaders of world powers, sounding out their positions in the question of the world community's reaction to reports about an unconfirmed chemical attack near Damascus on August 21. Such an attack was reported by anti-government forces which immediately accused the "Assad regime" of the incident. However, UN experts are still busy verifying it.
The NSC session will precede a special session of the British parliament on Thursday. The MPs have been recalled from their holidays earlier than planned (they were due to return to work on September 2) to discuss London's steps on Syria and vote on them. Cameron promises that a clear-cut government resolution will be presented and that a vote will be taken on a British reply to the chemical attack in Syria. The authorities want to secure growing support for their not quite popular stance.
The government is encountering pressure in the internal political arena and demands for a legal rationale for military measures. Observers say that following the Iraq campaign, unleashed by Britain and the United States on the plea that Saddam Hussein allegedly possessed weapons of mass destruction; the UK MPs have become more skeptical in attitude to invasion plans that are being put forward by the Cabinet. Many a parliamentarian demanded a vote on Syria.
On Tuesday, Cameron assures people that any military action by the West in Syria should be of a limited character and be a legitimate and proportionate reply designed to prevent chemical attacks there in the future. He said this does not mean being drawn into a war in the Middle East.
Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition government, leader of the Liberal Democrats party and Deputy Chairman of the NSC, said London does not seek to overthrow the Assad government. In the process, UK military circles warn that an intervention by the West in the situation in Syria may entail harder consequences than those in Afghanistan and Iraq.