British Prime Minister David Cameron has pushed EU leaders to discuss a commitment to arming or providing logistical military support to Syrian rebels at a European foreign ministers meeting on 31st January.
In what has been described as a major diplomatic victory for Cameron, the EU has instructed its foreign ministers "to work on all options to support and help the opposition and to enable greater support for the protection of civilians" and that the EU should work for "political transition... towards a future without President Assad and his illegitimate regime".
Speaking at a Brussels summit on Friday morning, David Cameron said:
"The situation is truly dreadful and getting worse. Forty thousand people are dead already there's a hard winter coming, there is an extreme humanitarian situation on the ground,"
"This is a desperate crisis that is taking place on our watch. People will ask in future years, what did you do to help deal with this situation, to help bring about a transition, to help get rid of President Assad? There is no single simple answer but inaction and indifference are not options."
"I want a very clear message to go to President Assad that nothing is off the table,"
"I want us to help shape that opposition, advise and work with it, so we can see the speediest possible transition in Syria. It's a very difficult situation, there are no easy answers, these things take time. But as an EU and as a country, Britain, we should be doing everything we can to speed up that transition."
Britain will draw up changes to the EU arms embargo on Syria, which would allow European states to supply weapons to the military wind of the Syrian Opposition Council.
See here for full report on the Telegraph
