World press on Syrian civil war (May 31, 2013)

Der Spiegel published an article by Ulrike Putz devoted to the Syrian civil war. The article was headlined 'Why the West will not be able to deliver arms to Syria soon.'

"Europe has lifted the ban on arms deliveries to Syria," the article reads. "This may mean that the Syrian rebels will soon have the arms necessary to struggle against the government."

However, the reality is far from that, the author writes. Only two countries have discussed the possibility of arms deliveries to the Syrian rebels, France and the UK, but both countries seem reluctant to start deliveries right away.

"Great Britain is not ready to start deliveries to the opponents of the Assad regime," Der Spiegel cites British Foreign Secretary William Hague as saying.

Swedish Foreign Minister Karl Bildt believes that the reason is the Europeans are afraid that the arms will fall into the hands of radicals, the article reads.