China tells France facts on Syria a precondition for action

Determining the facts should be a precondition for taking any action in Syria, China's foreign minister said on Friday in a phone call with his French counterpart.

French President Francois Hollande had said a British parliamentary vote against taking military action in Syria would not affect France's will to act to punish Bashar al-Assad's government for an apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi told French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius that it was important to determine not only if chemical weapons were used but who used them.

Fabius said last week that the international community would need to respond with force if allegations that Assad's forces were behind the chemical attack proved true.