US backs EU step to arm Syrian rebels

Ana Ghoib Syeikh Malaya 3:28 PTG

Russian S300 Syria Missiles Launcher also used by North Korea army - Foto Google Image


[pullquote_left]Go here to read US coordinated Israeli attack on Syria weapons depot by its submarine's[/pullquote_left]Washington: The US has welcomed the EU’s decision to lift an arms embargo on Syria, as a show of “full support" for rebels fighting against President Assad. Russia branded the potential shipments as “unlawful”.

The State Department has called for an end of the embargo on shipment of arms to rebels, saying that this step "gives the flexibility of specific EU member states to support the opposition as they see fit," acting State Department deputy spokesperson Patrick Ventrell said at the briefing on Tuesday as reported by RT news.

At the same time, for President Bashar Assad this should be a message "that support for the opposition is only going to increase”, Ventrell said.

As the United States has so far provided only non-lethal aid to Syrian rebels, Ventrell said the new decision “allows others to continue to accelerate that assistance to the opposition."

syria army rebel fighting


AFP Photo / Ricardo Garcia Vilanova


The State Department has stressed that it will not change its policy based on the EU’s decision.

Ventrell reiterated America’s position, saying that it opposes Russia selling anti-aircraft missiles to the Assad regime.

“We think that's a mistake. They've described it as fulfilling existing contracts,” he said, then assuring that the US government will “continue to work with them [Russia]."

The comments came after Russia criticized the EU lifted its arms embargo, with diplomats branding the move as an "example of double standards". Russia insists that its own sale of arms to the Syrian government may help restrain warmongers.

However, it has neither confirmed, nor denied “the status of those shipments” Russia is carrying out under a contract signed with Syria several years ago.

Moscow has been asserting its right to ship S-300 batteries, maintaining that it does not violate international law.