The Syrian government has condemned an EU decision to lift a ban on supplying arms to rebel fighters, saying the move will sabotage peace efforts, Syria's state television reported Wednesday.
"The recent EU decision proves they are hindering the international efforts aimed at achieving a political settlement to the crisis in Syria based on national dialogue among Syrians," the broadcaster quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as saying, dpa reported.
The European Union decided Monday to lift its arms embargo on Syria after hours of fraught negotiations, although ministers agreed not to supply any weapons before August.
The Syrian official accused the EU of providing "support and encouragement to terrorists by providing them with weapons in clear violation of international law and the UN charter," the report said.
Syrian forces fighting President Bashar Al-Assad have praised the EU's decision, which was spearheaded by Britain and France, while criticizing the delay in any shipments.
The move was also welcomed by the United States, but condemned as illegitimate by the Russian government.
Later Wednesday, the UN human rights council was expected to vote on a resolution put forward by the United States, Turkey and Qatar to censure the Syrian regime for attacking civilians in the besieged town of al-Kussair.
The text, presented in Geneva on Tuesday, calls on the government to immediately stop attacking civilians in the strategic town and "stresses the need to ensure accountability for those responsible for the massacre in Al-Qusayr (ie. al-Kussair)."