The European Union decided Monday to lift its arms embargo on the Syrian opposition, said High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. She announced the decision after hours of fraught negotiations, while ministers agreed not to supply weapons before August. British Foreign Secretary William Hague - whose country had pushed with France for a lifting of the arms embargo - said the decision sent a "strong signal" to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. "This decision today gives us the flexibility in the future to respond to a worsening situation or to the refusal of Al-Assad regime to negotiate," Hague said. All other restrictive measures against Syria - which include financing restrictions, travel bans and asset freezes - will be extended for a year, according to a report of DPA.
