Syria: Cameron hints UK could militarily intervene

By DAVID MADDOX
Published on 12/03/2013 19:36

DAVID Cameron has strongly hinted that the UK could militarily intervene in Syria and would be prepared to do it without the support of the rest of the European Union.

Giving evidence to senior backbenchers on the House of Commons liaison committee, Mr Cameron made it clear that the UK would be prepared to act alone if the humanitarian situation in Syria demanded it.

The UK has so far pursued a strategy of working with the rest of the European Union to find a joint aproach to the civil war raging in the Middle Eastern state.

And last week Foreign Secretary William Hague announced that the UK would supply body armour and heavy military vehicles to the rebels fighting the Assad regime.

There is an arms embargo as part of a package of EU sanctions on Syria that currently roll over every three months.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last week singled out the UK’s support for the rebels in a televised attack on international support for his opponents.

But speaking to the the committee which is made up of the chairs of the Commons select committees, Mr Cameron made it clear the UK was prepared to go further if necessary.

He said: “I hope that we can persuade our European partners, if and when a further change becomes necessary, they will agree with us.

“But if we can’t, then it’s not out of the question we might have to do things in our own way. It’s possible.”.

On Monday, France urged the European Union to look again at lifting the arms embargo, putting it at odds with Germany which said such a step could spread conflict in the region.