ROME (Reuters) - Italy will not have any direct role in an eventual Western military attack against the Syrian government, but it will provide logistical support to its allies, the prime minister’s office said on Thursday.

Caretaker Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni had numerous “international” contacts on Thursday, including with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the statement said.

“Italy will not participate in Syrian military actions,” Gentiloni told allies according to the statement. “Based on current international and bilateral accords, Italy will continue to offer logistical support to allied forces.”

Germany said earlier that it too would not join any strikes against Syria in response to a suspected poison gas attack on an opposition enclave allegedly carried out by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.