UK reaffirms plans to bypass arms embargo on Syria

A militant stands guard in an unidentified location in Syria. (file photo)

Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:23PM GMT

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British Foreign Secretary William Hague has hinted that the UK could bypass the arms embargo on Syria to supply weapons to militants fighting against the Syrian government.

Speaking to Sky News' Murnaghan programme on Sunday, Hague said, “We could do that, we could lift the arms embargo without the arms embargo without the rest of the European Union, if we decided that in May.”

The arms embargo is considered as part of a package of European Union (EU) sanctions on Syria that currently rolls over every three months, with the latest extension, which came into effect on March 1, being unanimously agreed on by the 27-member bloc last month.

The foreign secretary said there would be a “strong case” for the embargo to be lifted or amended in the coming months, enabling the UK to send militants in Syria for “more assistance.”

He also admitted that UK-supplied weapons could fall into the hands of extremists and consequently add to the risk of "extreme humanitarian distress" in the Arab country.

Earlier this week, British Prime Minster David Cameron said the UK could go it alone to supply weapons to Syrian militants if other EU member states refuse to lift the measure in May.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, warned that arming foreign-backed militants fighting against the Syrian government is in violation of international law.

The Syrian crisis began in mid-March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a large number of militants are foreign nationals.