THE First Minister has been pressed on whether Prestwick Airport, which is owned by the Scottish Government, was used by the United States military in its operation to deploy air strikes against Syria last weekend.
The question came from the Green MSP Ross Greer, who has previously raised concerns about the use of the airport to provide a refuelling service to military aircraft and followed her criticisms of the strikes last weekend.
Responding to Greer, Nicola Sturgeon did not say whether the airport had or had not been used by the US air force in last weekend’s strikes and referred to earlier concerns raised by the Greens over the military use of the airport.
“Look, we have discussed the issue of Prestwick Airport, the commercial nature of what it does and the fact that what it does as regards military flights is no different to what it has done all along,” she said.
“As far as the Syrian conflict is concerned, there are two issues. I will not repeat what I have said about my views on air strikes.
“What all of us need to do is get back to a situation in which the Geneva political process in Syria is given priority. Fundamentally, we need to see a long-term, sustainable political settlement to the situation in Syria. All of us – many greater than those of us in this chamber – have a part to play in encouraging that process.”
Syrian president Bashar Assad’s forces who are engaged in a civil war are suspected of mounting a chemical attack on the rebel-held area of Douma, killing more than 40 people and injuring hundreds on April 7.
Last weekend, in response to the suspected chemical attack, the US, UK and France launched more than 100 missiles against what they say were Syrian chemical weapons facilities.
The Pentagon said the strikes, which began at 4am Syrian time on Saturday, involved planes and ship-launched missiles and identified three targets: a scientific research centre in Damascus, a chemical weapons storage facility west of Homs, and another storage site and command post nearby.
The air strikes were raised earlier at First Minister’s Questions yesterday by the MSP Ivan McKee, who attacked the UK for taking part in the operation, suggesting it did so following a call by US president Donald Trump on Twitter.
“Last week, in a feeble and misguided attempt to look strong and stable, the UK Government engaged in military action in Syria, on the basis of flimsy evidence, without waiting for the findings of an independent inquiry and at the behest of a presidential tweet,” he said before asking the FM whether more could be done to help Syrians fleeing the country.
Sturgeon said the UK Government could do more to support Syrians seeking refuge in Britain and said more diplomatic action could be taken to address the conflict: “My view is isolated air strikes do not help to resolve the underlying situation in Syria,” she said.
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