Syria again seeks UN chemical weapons probe limited to attack it blames on rebels

UNITED NATIONS – Syria's U.N. ambassador has invited top U.N. disarmament and chemical weapons inspectors to Damascus for talks with the country's Foreign Ministry on investigating chemical weapons, but insists limiting inspections to one regime accusation of an attack by the rebels.

Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari's government has asked for an investigation of the alleged chemical weapons attack on March 19 in Khan al-Assal, which it blamed on the rebels.

But the Assad regime has refused to allow a U.N. investigation team led by Swedish chemical weapons expert Ake Sellstrom in to conduct a broader investigation of other allegations raised by Britain, France and the United States.

When asked Monday if Syria was now considering allowing investigations of Western claims of other attacks, Ja'afari promptly answered "No, you wouldn't jump to this conclusion."