Jarba pushes France to supply weapons for Syrian opposition

Syrian National Coalition (SNC) President Ahmad Asi Al-Jarba will make a strong case for France to deliver weapons to opposition fighters from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) which is part of a broad effort to oust Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Parliamentary sources, who met with Al-Jarba on Tuesday shortly after his arrival in Paris, said the SNC Chief was determined to push for weapons and to pressure French President Francois Hollande to "keep a commitment and rapidly deliver weapons," media and parliamentary sources said Wednesday. Al-Jarba met with members of the National Assembly's Foreign Relations Commission Tuesday evening and is meeting with President Francois Hollande Wednesday evening. France is no longer constrained on arms deliveries to the SNC as a European Union embargo was lifted at the end of May. But the EU members have agreed not to undertake any moves on arms deliveries until further contacts between them after August 1. In addition, France has made it clear it is not satisfied with guarantees from the Syrians that weapons might not fall into the hands of extremists or radical groups fighting in Syria. The SNC chief is experienced on the subject of weapons and has been previously in charge of procurement for certain opposition forces. Al-Jarba is also accompanied here by the Commander of the FSA, Salim Idriss, who is well-considered in this country and is viewed as "a moderate" and someone who "shares the values" of France in the area of human rights and respect for the different communities in Syria. However, the SNC is not confining its appeal for weapons to France. Al-Jarba will also visit several other European nations and will travel to the United States at the end of the week, "France 24" reported.