EU foreign ministers must bite the bullet and extend the arms embargo on Syria

Given clear evidence, from a variety of credible sources, that the Syrian army and associated forces have committed widespread and systematic violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, no government should transfer arms or ammunition to the Syrian government.

Given the fractured nature or opposition groups and the near impossibility of monitoring whether transferred weapons would be used to commit violations, reports of abuses, the risks of diversion of arms and ammunition and the likely humanitarian knock on effects of increased transfers, Oxfam is currently also opposed to transfers of arms and ammunition to armed groups inside Syria.

Even if the embargo were lifted, it should be noted that EU Member States would still have to abide by the EU Common Position on arms exports and prevent any arms transfer presenting a clear risk to contribute to HR or IHL violations, or prolong armed conflicts (see: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:335:0099:0099:EN:PDF)

Oxfam has been advocating to bring the arms trade under control for more than a decade and played a crucial role in the campaign to secure a robust Arms Trade Treaty. Under the new treaty – which was passed by majority vote at the UN in April this year and opens for signature on June 3 – arms transfers must not be authorized where there is a major risk the weapons will be used to commit violations of human rights or international humanitarian law.