Syrian politician says attacking Syria means threat to "secularism": French medi

Syrian Parliament Speaker Jihad Lahham said that he had written to French lawmakers and urged them to reject a military intervention in the name of secularism, the French channel FRANCE 24 reported Wednesday.

Lahham told FRANCE 24's reporters in Syria that he had written in an open letter to French lawmakers that attacking Syria would open the floodgates of Islamist terror and destroy the secularism of the Syrian state.

His letter came before the French parliament held an emergency session on Wednesday afternoon to debate on France's response to the Syrian crisis.

"Anyone who attacks Syria is essentially supporting terrorists and strengthening them. France cannot take part in such an aggression," said Lahham, stressing Syria's status as "the last secular state in the Middle East."

The Syrian politician said his country has been "fighting terrorism" since 1970s.

He warned of unintended consequences of any attack on his country, judging that battles begin with something local but risk expanding to the world.

"They claim America wants to conduct limited strikes. American can start a war, but does it know how to end that war?" he asked, while affirming that his country was ready to defend itself.

The spokesman also invited French members of parliament to Damascus to see "that the Syrian government had nothing to do with the alleged chemical weapons attack of August 21."

A similar letter was sent to British lawmakers before they voted down a government proposal to support U.S.-led military action against Damascus, said FRANCE 24 in the report.

At Wednesday's parliament session, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault justified the Socialists' determination to punish Syrian regime on the alleged chemical attack to pave the way for a political end to the years-long conflict.

Although a majority of French people expressed their support of putting a military intervention in Syria to a parliamentary vote, the prime minister ruled out the parliament vote and said Wednesday's meeting was only convened for debate.

The prime minister reassured the deputies that France will not act alone but will wait for U.S. Congress' decision on in what way the allies shall respond to the alleged chemical attacks in Syria.

A nine-page intelligence report, declassified by the French government on Monday, indicated that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were behind the alleged chemical attack in Damascus on Aug. 21 which killed "at least 281 people."

But the Syrian president denied the allegations and said in an interview with French daily Le Figaro on Monday that France will face negative repercussions if Paris and its allies launch a military intervention against his country.