Syria rejects reports of use of chemical weapons

The Syrian foreign ministry in special letter addressed to the UN chief rejected reports saying that the government is using chemiocal weapons aganist the rebels, RIA Novosti informs.

The ministry said, however, that the rebel forces may use such weapons in order to damage the government's reputation.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague earlier today cited evidence that the Syrian regime could use its stockpile of chemical weapons against rebels battling government forces.

"We are extremely concerned," Hague told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security conference Saturday.

Hague said that there was no simple "red line" which could trigger international military action, but that Britain and its allies had "contingency plans concerning chemical weapons" which he declined to disclose.