Qatar bashes EU for Syria arms embargo

Qatar’s prime minister, Hamed bin Jassim Al Thani, had some tough words for the European Union after it decided to extend its blanket arms embargo on Syria. Via the Guardian: "I am astonished at this decision," Bin Jassim said. "The rebels only want to be able to defend themselves. At the present time this is ...

By , a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.

Qatar's prime minister, Hamed bin Jassim Al Thani, had some tough words for the European Union after it decided to extend its blanket arms embargo on Syria. Via the Guardian:

Qatar’s prime minister, Hamed bin Jassim Al Thani, had some tough words for the European Union after it decided to extend its blanket arms embargo on Syria. Via the Guardian:

"I am astonished at this decision," Bin Jassim said. "The rebels only want to be able to defend themselves. At the present time this is the wrong decision. It will only prolong the crisis."

Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia, has supplied money and weapons to the anti-Assad forces but is understood to have been pressured by western governments to ease up because of growing concern that weapons are being funnelled to radical or jihadi groups that are not under the influence of the western-backed Syrian National Coalition. Rebel forces have complained that weapons and ammunition are drying up.

David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist

Tags: EU, Syria

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