‘UK could bypass arms embargo on Syria’
Iran Press TV
Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:3AM GMT
Britain may consider vetoing any extension to the arms embargo on foreign-sponsored militants in Syria, British Prime Minister David Cameron has said.
Speaking to the Liaison Committee of senior MPs on Tuesday, Cameron said the UK could go it alone to supply weapons to Syria militants if other European Union (EU) member states refuse to lift the measure in May.
The arms embargo is considered as part of a package of EU sanctions on Syria that currently rolls over every three months, with the latest extension, which came into effect on March 1, being unanimously agreed on by the 27-member bloc last month.
Asked whether he thought the embargo would stay in place after it comes up for renewal in May, the Prime Minister said, "I hope that we can persuade our European partners [and] if and when a further change becomes necessary, they will agree with us.”
"But if we can't, then it's not out of the question we might have to do things in our own way. It's possible," he added.
Britain has played a major role in fanning the flames of unrest in the Arab country by arming and training militants to fight against the Syrian government.
Last week, The Daily Star reported that Britain has sent a secret £20 million arsenal of weapons to militants fighting inside Syria.
The Syrian crisis began in mid-March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a large number of militants are foreign nationals.
SSM/PR/HE
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