Prague, April 17 (CTK) – The Chamber of Deputies asked the Czech government for “unambiguous and consistent” foreign policy stances on Tuesday, reacting to Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s positions to the recent allied attacks in Syria.
The lower house said the prime minister should consult party leaders on the Czech Republic’s stances on major international affairs.
The Chamber of Deputies passed the resolution at the close of a debate on the air strike by the USA, Britain and France on targets in Syria over a chemical attack.
Babis said he had no problem with the consultations.
On Wednesday, there will be a joint session of the Chamber of Deputies security and foreign affairs committees in the presence of Babis, Foreign Minister Martin Stropnicky and Defence Minister Karla Slechtova (all for ANO) to deal with Syria.
The Chamber of Deputies also called on the government to use the Czech embassy in Damascus for a peaceful solution to the situation in Syria.
On Saturday, Babis said the allied air strike was unavoidable. After meeting President Milos Zeman on Sunday, Babis said the air strike did not resolve anything.
On Monday, Babis said the allied operation was to deter Syria from the use of chemical weapons.
Babis said his having spoken about the unavoidable attack arose from the statement of U.S. President Donald Trump on what he would do.
Trump subsequently criticised Europe as it ought to have dealt with Syria diplomatically, Babis said.
“This is why I expressed my view that I dislike this and that naturally this will not resolve anything or that this is unlikely to be a solution for Syrians,” he added.
Stropnicky said all the evidence seemed to confirm the chemical attack and the Czech Republic denounced such a barbarous war crime.
“Since the United Nations Security Council was unable to react to the situation, we consider the military intervention of the USA, Britain and France of April 14 a clear message to anyone who would like to continue with the chemical attacks in Syria,” Stropnicky said.
International law is still violated in the Syrian conflict, while the Syrian regime itself is the most frequent and most serious perpetrator, he added.
“We still back a political solution under the U.N. aegis,” Stropnicky said.
