Britain has 'no immediate plans' to arm Syrian rebels

Britain has "no immediate plans" to arm Syria's opposition, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday, adding that the European Union's decision to end its arms embargo on rebel forces sent a "strong signal" to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, dpa reported.

"This decision today gives us the flexibility in the future to respond to a worsening situation or to the refusal of the Assad regime to negotiate," Hague added.

Member states are to "proceed in their national policies" with regard to the supply to the Syrian National Coalition of "military equipment or of equipment which might be used for internal repression" and intended to protect civilians, the ministers agreed in a statement issued after 12 hours of talks.

However they "will not proceed at this stage" with the delivery of such equipment, it stated, adding that the decision would be reviewed by August 1.


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