By CCTV correspondent Biresh Banerjee

BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The alleged chemical weapons attack of August the 21st, in the suburbs around Damascus, has the international community calling for immediate action in Syria. Many countries have indicated that direct military intervention is a strong possibility. But what form that intervention will take ,or what mandate will it be under, remains unclear.

US President Barack Obama is considering all options to respond to the crisis in Syria.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has said that the US has moved assets in place to be able to fulfill and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take.

White House spokesman Jay Carney says there must be a response to a clear violation of international law, and President Obama has a variety of options before him.

Jay Carney, White House Spokesman, said, "We retain, the president retains, all options available for him.....the decision about military force has not been made.....are not limited to the use of force".

The spokesman added that any action taken will not be to bring about a regime change.

Jay Carney, White House Spokesman, said, "I want to make clear that the options that we are considering are not about regime change. They are about responding to a clear violation of an international standard the prohibits the use of chemical weapons."

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron has recalled parliament to debate Britain’s response. He has said that no decision on military action in Syria has been made, but that the world shouldn’t stand idly by while the situation worsens.

French President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday that his country stood "ready to punish" those responsible for the alleged chemical attack in Damascus last week and would increase its military support to the Syrian opposition.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Seigei Lavrov has meanwhile said western nations calling for military action against Syria have no proof that the Syrian government was behind the alleged attack. He warned that use of force without a UN mandate would violate international law.

(Source: cntv.cn)