David Cameron has indicated that the UK may be prepared to bypass the EU arms embargo to Syria if the measure is not lifted in May.
After approving the provision of armoured vehicles and body armour for Syrian opposition leaders last week, Cameron was asked by the chair of the commons foreign affairs select committee whether he was prepared to veto the EU arms embargo when it is reviewed in May.
The Prime Minister responded:
"I would hope that wouldn't be the case. I would like to continue with an EU approach. We've just amended [the arms embargo] so we can supply non-lethal equipment. I hope we can persuade our European partners, if and when a further change becomes necessary, they'll agree with us. But if we can't then it's not out of the question that we might have to do things in our own way. It's possible."
"We are still an independent country. We can have an independent foreign policy. If, for instance, we felt action needed to be taken to help bring about change in Syria, to help end this appalling bloodshed and we felt our European partners were holding that back then we'd have to change the approach. But that is not what I hope will happen. William Hague did a very good job persuading his colleagues to amend the terms of the arms embargo so we can provide this equipment."
See the Guardian for full report.
