Syria conflict: EU struggles over arms embargo

Preview and reports of a discussion on the issue of a possible relaxation of an arms embargo and sanctions to opposition forces in the Syrian conflict at a EU Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels, 27-28 May 2013.

France and the United Kingdom supported a relaxation. The US had indicated it supported this stance. However, other EU Member States opposed a relaxation.

News sources on the 28 May 2013 reported that EU member states had finally approved a measure to end the arms embargo on Syrian opposition forces. However, there were no immediate plans to send weapons to rebels amid diplomatic efforts to bring the warring sides to the negotiating table (see Council Conclusions on Syria in related hyperlinks below.

On the 4 June 2013 BBC reported that Syria's war has reached "new levels of brutality" with evidence of fresh suspected massacres, sieges and violations of children's rights.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 25.05.13: US backs EU arms shipments to Syria rebels http://euobserver.com/foreign/120241

ESO: Background information: EU offers Syria rebels 'non-lethal' equipment http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-offers-syria-rebels-non-lethal-equipment/

Council of the European Union: Fact Sheet: The European Union and Syria, April 2013 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/128379.pdf

EU: EEAS: The EU and Syria http://eeas.europa.eu/syria/

EurActiv, 27.05.13: Divided EU ministers to seek compromise on Syrian arms embargo http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/divided-eu-ministers-seek-compro-news-528052

France24, 27.05.13: Chemical weapons used in Syria, says French daily http://www.france24.com/en/20130527-syria-chemical-weapons-sarin-gas-france-daily-le-monde-witness-jobar-assad

EUObserver, 27.05.13: Austria says EU talks on Syria have failed http://euobserver.com/foreign/120265

Wall Street Journal, 24.05.13: EU and the Syria Arms Embargo http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2013/05/24/eu-and-the-syria-arms-embargo/

BBC News, 28.05.13: EU ends arms embargo on Syria rebels http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22684948

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 27.05.13: Council conclusions on Syria http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/137316.pdf

France, 28.05.13: EU lifts arms embargo for Syrian rebels http://www.france24.com/en/20130528-eu-lifts-arms-embargo-syria-opposition-rebels-diplomacy-hague

EUObserver, 28.05.13: EU countries free to ship arms to Syria http://euobserver.com/foreign/120273

BBC News, 28.05.13: Russian arms 'to deter foreign intervention in Syria' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22688894

Deutsche Welle, 28.05.13: Amid disunity, EU lifts Syrian arms embargo http://www.dw.de/amid-disunity-eu-lifts-syrian-arms-embargo/a-16841274

EurActiv, 28.05.13: Britain, France block renewed weapons embargo against Syria http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/eu-divisions-allow-britain-franc-news-528073

Die Tageszeitung, 28.05.13: Better to get it wrong than do nothing (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/3817561-better-get-it-wrong-do-nothing

EUObserver, 29.05.13: US defends EU allies on arms-to-Syria http://euobserver.com/foreign/120289

EUObserver, 03.06.13: EU arms to Syria: what, how and if http://euobserver.com/defence/120346

BBC News, 04.06.13: Syria conflict has reached new levels of brutality - UN http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22765692

Gazeta Wyborcza, 05.06.13: The Spanish Civil War of our time (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/3841971-spanish-civil-war-our-time

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