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No decision on arming Syrian rebels, says David Cameron No decision on arming Syrian rebels, says David Cameron
(about 1 hour later)
David Cameron has said Britain has taken "no decision" to arm the Syrian rebels after the US declared it would provide them with military support.David Cameron has said Britain has taken "no decision" to arm the Syrian rebels after the US declared it would provide them with military support.
The prime minister said the US view that the Assad regime had used chemical weapons was "consistent" with his. But the prime minister backed the US assessment that the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons and described President Assad as a "brutal dictator".
He recognised concerns about some in the Syrian opposition but said it was right to engage with those with a "positive" view of the future. He is to speak to President Obama by phone, ahead of next week's G8 summit where Syria will be high on the agenda.
Syria says claims it used chemical weapons are "a caravan of lies".Syria says claims it used chemical weapons are "a caravan of lies".
The White House said President Obama had made the decision to provide arms to the opposition after concluding the Assad regime was using chemical weapons. It has not yet given details about what military aid might be provided. Russia says it is not convinced by the evidence presented by the US and the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon has said providing arms to either side would not help as there must be a political, not military, solution.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the change from the White House brought it closer to the position adopted by Britain and France - that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be forced to the negotiating table. The White House said President Obama had made the decision to provide arms to the opposition after concluding the Assad regime was using chemical weapons.
Mr Cameron told a news conference on Northern Ireland that samples from inside Syria showing evidence of chemical weapons had been tested by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down. There was "credible evidence of multiple attacks using chemical weapons", he said. It has not yet given details about what military aid might be provided but there has been speculation it could include small arms and ammunition, or possibly anti-tank weapons.
On the ground, there were reports of the fiercest fighting in months in Syria's largest city, Aleppo. The UN said on Thursday that two years of conflict had killed at least 93,000 people.
Mr Cameron backed the lifting of an EU arms embargo on Syria in May, but says he has made no decision to send arms to the Syrian opposition.
He is under pressure from some of his own MPs and the Labour Party to hold a vote in the Commons before any such decision is taken.
Speaking at a news conference in the Downing Street garden, at which he unveiled an economic package for Northern Ireland, Mr Cameron said samples from inside Syria showing evidence of chemical weapons had been tested by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down.
There was "credible evidence of multiple attacks using chemical weapons", he added.
'Brutal dictator''Brutal dictator'
While the UK believed that the scale of use had been ordered by the Assad regime, there was no credible reporting of chemical weapons being used by the opposition, although elements affiliated with al-Qaeda had attempted to acquire some, for "probable use" in Syria, he said. The UK believed that the weapons had been ordered by the Assad regime, Mr Cameron went on, but he said there was no credible reporting of chemical weapons being used by the opposition, although elements affiliated with al-Qaeda had attempted to acquire some, for "probable use" in Syria.
"We have made no decision to arm the opposition but it was right to lift the arms embargo," Mr Cameron said. Reservations about arming the rebels have been expressed by some Conservative MPs and, reportedly, some of Mr Cameron's own cabinet ministers.
"We will continue to support, train and assist and work with the opposition. Of course there are concerns about some of the opposition, but my argument is this: If we don't engage with elements of the opposition and encourage those that do have a positive pluralistic and democratic view about the future of Syria, we won't be able to influence the shape of that opposition." Opponents say there is no way to guarantee that weapons will not fall into the hands of extremists within the Syrian opposition forces and argue that it could escalate the conflict further.
Mr Cameron said: "We have made no decision to arm the opposition but it was right to lift the arms embargo."
He added: "We will continue to support, train and assist and work with the opposition.
"Of course there are concerns about some of the opposition, but my argument is this: If we don't engage with elements of the opposition and encourage those that do have a positive pluralistic and democratic view about the future of Syria, we won't be able to influence the shape of that opposition."
'Only credible plan'
He said there was a "brutal dictator who is using chemical weapons under our nose" and it was important to work with "our allies and friends in the region" to do everything possible to end the conflict.He said there was a "brutal dictator who is using chemical weapons under our nose" and it was important to work with "our allies and friends in the region" to do everything possible to end the conflict.
"That is what we will do in the days and the weeks ahead," he said."That is what we will do in the days and the weeks ahead," he said.
Reservations about arming the rebels have been expressed by some Conservative MPs and, reportedly, some of his own cabinet ministers.
Hands of extremists
Tory backbencher John Baron said on Friday: "Arming the rebels and escalating the violence could be a mistake of historic proportions."
He said there was no way of knowing that weapons would not fall "into the hands of extremists within the Syrian opposition forces that have committed atrocities".
Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there remained strong arguments against arming the rebels: "How would you prevent arms falling into the hands of jihadists, if not now then in the future? What evidence is there that Assad will change his policies so long as he has the powerful support of Russia and the arms supplies that go with it?"
The EU agreed to end an arms embargo on Syria last month - a move backed by the UK - allowing member states to decide their own policy on sending arms to Syria. But Mr Cameron has said the point was to send a message to President Assad and no decision had been made to do so.
'Only credible plan'
Labour leader Ed Miliband has argued that the government has been putting all its efforts into lifting the EU arms embargo - not on securing the Geneva II peace talks, which have already been postponed until at least next month.Labour leader Ed Miliband has argued that the government has been putting all its efforts into lifting the EU arms embargo - not on securing the Geneva II peace talks, which have already been postponed until at least next month.
His party says MPs should be given a say on arming the Syrian rebels before any decision has been taken, and 81 Conservative MPs made the same demand in a letter to Mr Cameron this month. In an article for Saturday's Independent, Mr Miliband writes: "An escalating death toll and this week's announcements from Washington show just how grave are the dangers confronting Syria.
For Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said the Geneva II talks were the only credible plan to secure a peace settlement. "It is vital that at this G8 meeting every effort is made by David Cameron and other leaders to engage the Russians directly and enlist their support in bringing all sides to the negotiating table.
"This weekend Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the G8 meeting here in the United Kingdom. This moment must be grasped. "The joint US-Russian initiative remains the only credible plan to secure a transition to an inclusive and sustainable peace settlement for Syria."
"It is vital that the opportunity of this G8 meeting is seized, and every effort is made by the US President, the UK Prime Minister and others to engage the Russians directly and enlist their support in bringing all sides of the Syrian conflict to the negotiating table."