France notes US vote on weapons for Syrian opposition

The French government said on Thursday that it had taken note of an important recommendation by a US Senate Committee, urging weapons be supplied to Syrian rebels, but Paris maintained its current position on its "non-lethal" support to the Syrian Free Army (FSA). In line with agreements among European Union nations, France is confining its support for the FSA to certain types of equipment and is not supplying major weapons systems to the Syrian rebels. The powerful US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Wednesday to approve limited military action against Damascus and called for a "shift in military momentum by providing weapons for rebel forces." It also called for shifting the military balance on the ground in Syria. The vote is likely to strengthen the position of President Barack Obama who says he is prepared to strike Syrian regime assets because of an alleged chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of people in Damascus on August 21. Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said that France has "taken careful note of the vote yesterday in the American Senate." Lalliot also remarked that President Francois Hollande had announced on August 27 an increase in military support for the opposition Syrian National Coalition and the FSA. But this support would still "respect our European commitments," the spokesman stressed. Currently, France delivers non-lethal material to the joint command of the FSA, notably secure communications and observation resources. Technical support on how to use equipment the rebels have is also being supplied by France.