BICOM

Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday told a parliamentary committee that Britain would consider acting independently if the European Union arms embargo in Syria is not lifted in May.

The embargo, which bans the provision of arms to either side in the Syrian conflict, must be renewed every three months. Last month Britain negotiated an amendment to the ban, allowing Foreign Secretary William Hague to last week announce a £9.4 million package of non-lethal aid to moderate opposition groups in Syria, including armour-plated vehicles and body armour. However, the government has been pushing for the embargo to be lifted entirely in order to provide further support to moderate opposition forces.

Answering questions on Syria before a liaison committee of senior MPs, Cameron said that although “I would like to continue with an EU approach” over the arms embargo, if no pan-European agreement is reached “when a further change becomes necessary,” then “it’s not out of the question that we might have to do things in our own way.” Cameron emphasised that “We are still an independent country. We can have an independent foreign policy” if “we felt action needed to be taken to help bring about change in Syria.”

It is thought that French foreign minister Laurent Fabius backs the UK’s position to remove the embargo, but that his German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle, is leading opposition against such a change, fearing that it could lead to a regional proliferation of arms.

Cameron recognised yesterday that there are” dangers in any course of action,” but said “There are a danger in inaction. While the world has stood by…As well as 70,000 people being murdered you have seen the Jihadist elements of the opposition grow.”