Paris and London say they will work to lift Syrian arms ban
European leaders indicate getting arms to rebels is key to shifting balance of power away from Bashar Assad
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France and Britain indicated on Tuesday that they would both push for the lifting of an EU arms embargo on Syria to allow weapons to be funneled to opposition fighters.
Prime Minister David Cameron said that Britain may consider vetoing an extension of the European Union’s embargo if the situation does not improve in Syria.
The EU has a blanket embargo against shipping arms to Syria, though last month Britain persuaded the EU to soften the embargo and allow member states to provide non-lethal aid, such as armored vehicles, to the rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar Assad.
In Paris, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said a “new balance of power” was needed in Syria to see Assad ousted.
“France is thinking — although it is a European decision — of going further in lifting the embargo,” he told a parliamentary committee, according to Reuters. “You will ask me is that not contradictory with finding a political solution, but we don’t think so.”
Both Britain and France support lifting the embargo further to allow weapons into Syria. The current EU embargo expires in May.
Cameron said Tuesday that “it’s not out of the question we might have to do things in our own way,” should Britain fail to persuade other EU members to allow weapons to be sent to the rebels.
The Times of Israel Community.