Certain EU leaders oppose arming Syria terrorists

Certain EU leaders oppose arming Syria terrorists
Fri Mar 15, 2013 17:29:26

European leaders are increasingly expressing opposition to attempts by Britain and France to end a ban on supplying weapons to foreign-backed terrorists fighting popular government of President Bashar al Assad in Syria.

Prior to EU authorities’ Friday talks in Brussels, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said his country was not prepared to lift the ban.

 

“We are against the end of the arms embargo. We think the delivery of arms does not contribute to a possible solution," he told reporters.

 

A Spanish diplomatic source, meanwhile, said there was widespread hesitation about supplying weapons to the terrorists.

 

“I think the (EU) member countries don't want to follow the French position," the source said. "We want to let things evolve."

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also said the EU needed to "proceed very cautiously" on lifting the embargo.

 

Britain and France were putting more pressure on other Europeans on Friday to end the ban on supplying weapons to foreign-backed terrorists.

 

London and Paris were to raise the issue of the EU's arms embargo on Syria on the final day of the Brussels’ summit, with both warning they were ready to break ranks with their European partners to supply weapons to the terrorists.

 

This comes as other responsible players in Europe voiced concern that a flood of weapons into Syria will only escalate the conflict.

 

Both Syria and Russia, too, have stressed that  any arms shipments to the terrorists would be a "flagrant violation" of international law.

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