David Cameron warned on Monday that the rise of al-Qaeda in Syria represented a "strategic imperative" for the West to arm the Syrian opposition to ensure a broad-based coalition topples President Bashar al-Assad.
David Cameron said nations that supported the Syrian opposition needed to take a more active approach to intervention in Syria Photo: PA
By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
7:15PM GMT 17 Dec 2012
Speaking in the House of Commons after securing an EU deal to review the arms, Mr Cameron turned the fear that Western arms would "leak" into al-Qaeda groups on its head.
Instead he said the Syrian revolution must be assisted to ensure that al-Qaeda groups do not eclipse moderate factions. Syria could become an al-Qaeda base if the crisis were prolonged, Whitehall officials said.
"We continue to encourage political transition from the top and to support the opposition, which is attempting to force a transition from below," he told MPs.
"This should include and will include looking at the arms embargo. We must now explore all options to support the opposition to enable greater support for the protection of civilians."
He said there was a "strategic imperative to act" because "Syria is attracting and empowering a new cohort of al-Qaeda-linked extremists".
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The United States last week broke away from its Western allies to proscribe Jubat al-Nusra, one of the largest Syrian rebel factions, as a terrorist organisation.
The group has benefited from donations from private individuals in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Its access to cash and weapons has given it an advantage over more mainstream rebels who can only hope for communications equipment and humanitarian supplies from Western allies.
Last week Mr Cameron and Francois Hollande, the French president, agreed to review the arms embargo when its current three month extension expires early next year.
Mr Cameron said nations that supported the Syrian opposition needed to take a more active approach to intervention in Syria.
He said: "We cannot go on as we are. Assad's regime is illegitimate, the council committed to work for a future for Syria that is democratic and inclusive with full support for human rights and minorities."
Answering Labour leader Ed Miliband, Mr Cameron added that the embargo against the regime would be retained: "It is right to look at amending the arms embargo – of course, we will be keeping the arms embargo on the regime.
The Prime Minister said he hoped the Anglo-French view would prevail within European Union but efforts to change the embargo would face strong resistance within the bloc.
"There are arguments on both sides of the debate but it is a debate that should be had, that European foreign ministers will be having," he said. "My concern is that if we, with others, aren't helping to shape and work with the opposition, it's much more difficult to get the transition we all want to see to a peaceful, democratic Syria that respects the rights of minorities."
A major crack in the Syrian regime opened yesterday when Farouk al-Sharaa, the sidelined vice-president, said that while Mr Assad remained committed to a military solution, other leaders favoured a "historic" deal with the rebels.
"I don't see that what the security forces and army units are doing will lead to a definitive victory," Mr Sharaa told the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar. "All these opposition forces can only conclude the battle to topple the regime if their goal is to push the country into chaos and a cycle of violence that has no end."
The public hint that parts of the regime wanted a "political solution" was welcomed by Western diplomats as a potentially significant shift.
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