December 14, 2012 - 17:32 AMT
Van Rompuy: EU will look at "all options" to help Syrian opposition

The European Union will look at "all options" to help the Syrian opposition, Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, said on Friday, Dec 14 according to Reuters.

EU leaders would ask their foreign ministers to look "at all options to support and help the opposition and to enable the greater support for the protection of civilians", he told a news conference after a meeting of EU heads of state and government.

EU foreign ministers on Monday moved towards full recognition of the Syrian opposition fighting President Bashar al-Assad. The European Union decided at the end of November to review sanctions on Syria every three months instead of every year, in order to make it easier to equip the rebels.