The Arab foreign ministers, at the end of their emergency meeting Sunday evening in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, held "the Syrian regime" responsible for the "heinous crime" committed by using chemical weapons in Syria.

The Arab foreign ministers, at the end of their emergency meeting Sunday in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, held "the Syrian regime" responsible for the "heinous crime" committed by using chemical weapons in Syria.

In their closing statement, the ministers called for "referring all those involved in this heinous crime for international and fair trials, similar to other criminals of war," and "for providing all forms of support required for the Syrian people to defend themsleves and the need for concerted Arab and international efforts to help them."

The 22-member organization called on "the United Nations and the international community to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the UN Charter and the norms of international law, in order to take the necessary deterrent measures against the perpetrators of this crime."

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, named the regional body on Friday among a list of allies "ready to respond" to the alleged chemical-weapons attack, while the US President Barack Obama starts to show hesitation towards any strike on Syria.

However, some influential Arab League members, including Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria, have expressed opposition to foreign military intervention in Syria.