Paris (CNN) -- You may have been surprised by the about-face by French President Francois Hollande who -- after initially stressing the need for urgent action on Syria while insisting there was no need to wait for the United Nations inspectors' report on the August 21 attack -- said on Friday that he now wants to wait for their findings. Then, Saturday in Lithuania after four hours of talks with Secretary of State John Kerry, the European Union foreign ministers issued a statement blaming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the chemical weapons attack, calling it a "blatant violation of international law, a war crime and a crime against humanity" and calling for a "clear and strong" international response.
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Leaders decide they want inspectors' report first
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Officials want signal of backing from U.N.
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It's a sign of European politics
@placeholder urges strong response, as Kerry seeks support for military action