European Union (EU) foreign ministers showed little enthusiasm Thursday for proposals, reportedly pushed by Britain and France, to partially lift a weapons embargo on Syria to help arm rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad.
"I am very sceptical," said Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger. "Our mission cannot ultimately be more weapons for Syria. As the EU, we have always held back on these issues of weapons deliveries. I think the same must count here too."
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders agreed, as did his Dutch counterpart Frans Timmermans, who said a proliferation of weapons could escalate the situation even further. But Timmermans recognized that this gave the regime an advantage.
"I'm realistic enough to see that one side in the conflict is being provided internationally with weapons and that the coalition are increasingly frustrated over the fact that their opponents do get international support and they don't," Timmermans said.