The EU was on Monday moving towards a plan to loosen – but not lift – its arms embargo against Syria as diplomats sought a compromise between Britain’s desire to intervene more forcefully in the country’s civil war and other member states’ deep reluctance.
A plan promoted by Germany and the Netherlands would suspend the embargo so that governments could, under strict conditions, supply weapons to groups opposing the regime of Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.
But the suspension would not be activated until either July or August, after an international peace conference organised by the US and Russia. Also at issue was whether it would be triggered automatically or require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. The talks are still fluid and any compromise could yet falter.
