France and UK set to arm Syrian rebels

UK Government sources said that no decision has been taken to seek the lifting of the EU arms embargo on Syria, but stressed that “all options” remain on the table.

Prime Minister David Cameron hinted earlier this week that the UK could decide to ignore the arms ban and supply weapons to rebels fighting Bashar Assad’s regime, telling MPs that he hoped the EU would act together if it became necessary, but “it’s not out of the question we might have to do things in our own way”.

Mr Fabius suggested London and Paris could ask for a planned meeting in May, to decide whether to lift or extend the arms embargo, to be brought forward, possibly to the end of March.

Mr Fabius said that the UK and France are asking “the Europeans now to lift the embargo so that the resistance fighters have the possibility of defending themselves”.

If unanimous EU support for lifting the measure is lacking, the French and UK governments will decide to deliver weapons, Mr Fabius said, adding that France “is a sovereign nation”.

“We must move quickly,” he said. “We along with the British will ask for the meeting to be moved up.”

Responding to Mr Fabius’s remarks, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “Our objective is clear – an end to the violence and a political transition to a more democratic Syria through a political solution.

“As it stands, the political track has little chance of gathering momentum unless the regime feels compelled to come to the negotiating table. They need to feel that the balance on the ground has shifted against them.

“That is why we welcome the EU arms embargo amendment agreed in February on Syria as it sends a strong message to the Assad regime that the political calculations of the international community ... have shifted.