ELEANOR HALL: The US president issued a warning today to the Syrian government that he will hold it accountable if it makes what he called the "tragic mistake" of using its chemical weapons.
The Syrian government has now confirmed that it does have a chemical weapons store, but it said the weapons are secure and that it would never use them against the Syrian population.
However the Assad government did threaten to use chemical weapons in the event of any foreign attack.
The threat drew a strong response from the United Nations chief who said it was "reprehensible" for Syrian leaders to even contemplate the use of chemical weapons.
One analyst says the Syrian comments are aimed at deterring Israel from launching strikes.
Tom Nightingale has our report.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: It's unclear just how many chemical weapons are held by Syria.
The Australian National University's Doctor Christian Enemark.
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: Syria is suspected of having mustard, which is a blister agent and also Sarin and VX which are nerve agents. So those latter are extremely dangerous and extremely toxic.
But beyond the direct physical damage caused by chemical attack, there's a very important psychological component - people are particularly horrified at the thought of being gassed or poisoned in a way that exceeds their horror of conventional munitions.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: In the past, Syria denied it had chemical weapons. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, now admits it does.
JIHAD MAKDISSI: All the stocks of these weapon that the Syrian republic possess are monitored and guarded by the Syrian army.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: That admission has provoked a strong reaction from some of the world's most powerful leaders. The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, says he can't verify reports of a "considerable amount" of weapons, but he says it would be "reprehensible" to even consider using them.
The US president, Barack Obama, has gone even further.
BARACK OBAMA: We will continue to make it clear to Assad and those around him that the world is watching and that they will be held accountable by the international community and the United States should they make the tragic mistake of using those weapons.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: The leaders of Syria's neighbours are also worried. Syria hasn't signed a 1992 convention banning the use or production of the weapons.
The Israeli president, Shimon Peres, has told CNN the country is making plans to attack Syria's chemical weapon stockpiles if Israel is directly threatened.
SHIMON PERES: And Syrians must be aware that what they do is against international law and endangering here our lives so we shall not remain indifferent and tell them do want you want.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: The ANU's Doctor Christian Enemark says Israel's posturing is the main reason Syria has admitted the weapons exist.
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: Israel has spoken about the possibility of pre-emptive strikes against Syria, Israel previously has launched air attacks on Syrian nuclear capable facilities. Israel has spoken about pre-emptive strikes possibly against Iranian military and nuclear facilities.
I think Syria is right to think that Israeli threats and posturing in this direction are sincere, genuine and dangerous, from its perspective.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: He says the Syrian civil war is highly complex and changing every day.
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: I believe the strategy of the major players will be to pressure the Assad regime only to the point where he has fallen just short of desperation. So this is real brinkmanship, it's a very dangerous time and it's difficult to predict from one day to the next what might happen.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: How many lives on the line?
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: Who can say for sure - how grim a mood are you in? I think hundreds of thousands of lives are on the line in any conflict which escalates out of control.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: Analyst Steven Heydemann is from the US Institute of Peace.
STEVEN HEYDEMANN: One of the biggest security concerns the US has about the Syrian situation is precisely that these chemical weapons might either be used or that the Syrian government might somehow lose control of them.
If those weapons were to be deployed it would be such a significant escalation that the international community might feel that it had no alternative other than to intervene.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 1,200 people have died in the violence since last Sunday. Activists now estimate at least 18,000 people have died.
ELEANOR HALL: Tom Nightingale reporting.
The Syrian government has now confirmed that it does have a chemical weapons store, but it said the weapons are secure and that it would never use them against the Syrian population.
However the Assad government did threaten to use chemical weapons in the event of any foreign attack.
The threat drew a strong response from the United Nations chief who said it was "reprehensible" for Syrian leaders to even contemplate the use of chemical weapons.
One analyst says the Syrian comments are aimed at deterring Israel from launching strikes.
Tom Nightingale has our report.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: It's unclear just how many chemical weapons are held by Syria.
The Australian National University's Doctor Christian Enemark.
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: Syria is suspected of having mustard, which is a blister agent and also Sarin and VX which are nerve agents. So those latter are extremely dangerous and extremely toxic.
But beyond the direct physical damage caused by chemical attack, there's a very important psychological component - people are particularly horrified at the thought of being gassed or poisoned in a way that exceeds their horror of conventional munitions.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: In the past, Syria denied it had chemical weapons. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, now admits it does.
JIHAD MAKDISSI: All the stocks of these weapon that the Syrian republic possess are monitored and guarded by the Syrian army.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: That admission has provoked a strong reaction from some of the world's most powerful leaders. The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, says he can't verify reports of a "considerable amount" of weapons, but he says it would be "reprehensible" to even consider using them.
The US president, Barack Obama, has gone even further.
BARACK OBAMA: We will continue to make it clear to Assad and those around him that the world is watching and that they will be held accountable by the international community and the United States should they make the tragic mistake of using those weapons.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: The leaders of Syria's neighbours are also worried. Syria hasn't signed a 1992 convention banning the use or production of the weapons.
The Israeli president, Shimon Peres, has told CNN the country is making plans to attack Syria's chemical weapon stockpiles if Israel is directly threatened.
SHIMON PERES: And Syrians must be aware that what they do is against international law and endangering here our lives so we shall not remain indifferent and tell them do want you want.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: The ANU's Doctor Christian Enemark says Israel's posturing is the main reason Syria has admitted the weapons exist.
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: Israel has spoken about the possibility of pre-emptive strikes against Syria, Israel previously has launched air attacks on Syrian nuclear capable facilities. Israel has spoken about pre-emptive strikes possibly against Iranian military and nuclear facilities.
I think Syria is right to think that Israeli threats and posturing in this direction are sincere, genuine and dangerous, from its perspective.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: He says the Syrian civil war is highly complex and changing every day.
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: I believe the strategy of the major players will be to pressure the Assad regime only to the point where he has fallen just short of desperation. So this is real brinkmanship, it's a very dangerous time and it's difficult to predict from one day to the next what might happen.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: How many lives on the line?
CHRISTIAN ENEMARK: Who can say for sure - how grim a mood are you in? I think hundreds of thousands of lives are on the line in any conflict which escalates out of control.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: Analyst Steven Heydemann is from the US Institute of Peace.
STEVEN HEYDEMANN: One of the biggest security concerns the US has about the Syrian situation is precisely that these chemical weapons might either be used or that the Syrian government might somehow lose control of them.
If those weapons were to be deployed it would be such a significant escalation that the international community might feel that it had no alternative other than to intervene.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says more than 1,200 people have died in the violence since last Sunday. Activists now estimate at least 18,000 people have died.
ELEANOR HALL: Tom Nightingale reporting.