PM: UK trying to improve situation in Syria

Britain is better off engaged and trying to make the situation in Syria better, Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons Wednesday. Cameron spoke out after discussions at the European Council last weekend speculated on changing the arms embargo, potentially raising the prospect of arming the rebels. At Prime Minister's Questions, the opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband urged the Government not to risk making the situation worse. But Cameron said: "It is worth recalling the fact the current policies are not working for the people of Syria. Seventy thousand people are dead and this hateful regime is still in place." Miliband acknowledged the current situation was terrible but said "we mustn't make it worse with the actions we take." He said: "The UN has said the introduction of more weapons into Syria is 'counter-productive and will not lead to a solution.' "Special representative Brahimi recently called for a new diplomatic initiative to bring the warring parties to the negotiating table. "Can you set out what steps the UK Government specifically is taking to support the UN in advancing this initiative?" Cameron said: "We are taking specific steps to help the UN with this vital initiative and trying to achieve a diplomatic solution with transition at the top of this regime is worth pursuing - that is why we have had detailed talks with the Russian foreign and defence ministers in the last week. "But I would make one other point about the issue of the arms embargo. "I felt sitting round the European Council chamber there was a slight similarity between some of the arguments that were being made about not putting more weapons into Syria that seemed to me to be very familiar to the discussions we had about Bosnia and the appalling events that followed. "In my view, it is better to be engaged, working with the Syrian opposition and trying to bring this conflict to an end." In addition, Cameron said Britain had already achieved several goals in amending the arms embargo in Syria, after the Government specifically requested a change to allow the supply of technical support to the opposition. He said: "The French president (Francois Hollande) and I discussed at the European Council looking for further changes to the arms embargo that will be discussed by foreign affairs ministers this weekend. "The reason for that is two-fold. First of all, it sends a peculiar message that the arms embargo still applies pretty much equally to this hateful regime and to the opposition, who we recognise as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. "And second, the French president is concerned and I am concerned we should not be restricted for months and months ahead when we don't know exactly what could happen in Syria, including the very worrying reports of the use of chemical weapons." For his part, Miliband said: "Obviously, everyone is appalled by the actions of the Assad regime but you will know there is not only a lack of unity among Syrian opposition groups but there is also the known presence of the al Qaida-backed terrorist organisation al Nusra on the ground. "Do you understand the widespread concern that remains about the idea of seeking to supply weapons to the rebels?" The Premier replied: "I think you put the point absolutely right. There is widespread concern about the nature of the opposition and the argument I think we have to engage in is this: Are we more likely to help the good elements of the opposition by standing back or are we more likely to help by getting in there and shaping and helping and giving this technical assistance so we can actually play a part in building up the Syrian opposition so they are a legitimate and credible alternative to this hateful regime."