Obama rules out arming Syrian opposition for now

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday categorically ruled out arming the Syrian opposition for the moment, despite the serious deterioration of situation in the Middle Eastern country.

In his first press conference at the White House since his re- election on November 6, the US president took a cautious stand on the issue of arming the newly formed opposition group in Syria.

"We have seen extremist elements insinuate themselves into the opposition," Obama said, highlighting his concerns about the danger of arming Syria's opposition.

"And ... one of the things that we have to be on guard about, particularly when we start talking about arming opposition figures, is that we're not indirectly putting arms in the hands of folks who would do Americans harm, or do Israelis harm, or otherwise engage in actions that are detrimental to our national security," he said.

Obama also ruled out an immediate recognition of the new Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces as " some sort of government in exile," though adding that he thinks " it is a broad-based representative group."

He said that the US has been extensively engaged with the international community as well as regional powers to help Syria's opposition group, adding that Washington would continue to make sure that the opposition "is committed to a democratic Syria, an inclusive Syria, a moderate Syria."

Obama also said that his administration has been in close contact with countries including Turkey and Jordan that immediately border Syrian, and Israel, the leading US ally in the region, on how to deal with the Syria issue.

They all share grave concerns about "movements of chemical weapons that might occur in such a chaotic atmosphere" in Syria, Obama noted.