No evidence yet of Syria chemical attack, Putin tells Cameron

LONDON - Agence France-Presse

Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on fuel, energy and environment safety issues in Kemerovo, August 26, 2013. REUTERS/Aleksey Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin Aug.26 told British Prime Minister David Cameron that there was no evidence yet that the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons against rebels, Cameron's office said.

During a telephone call between the two leaders, Putin said that "they did not have evidence of whether a chemical weapons attack had taken place or who was responsible," according to a Downing Street spokesman.

Cameron insisted that there was "little doubt" Bashar al-Assad's regime had carried out a chemical attack, according to a readout of the telephone conversation.

The British leader doubted that the rebels had the capability to carry out such an attack and pointed out that the regime had launched a heavy offensive in the area in the days before and after the incident.

"The regime had also prevented UN access in the immediate aftermath, suggesting they had something to hide," he told Putin.

However, the pair did both repeat their commitment to an agreement reached by G8 leaders in June, which resolved that no-one should use chemical weapons and any use would merit a serious response from the international community.