EU threatens with new sanctions against Syria
By Kamila Aliyeva
The European Union Foreign Ministers met on April 3 in Luxembourg with focus on Syria.
The meeting preceded an international conference on Syrian problem will begin its work in Brussels on April 4 with meetings on different levels and the ministerial is scheduled for April 5.
In the Luxembourg meeting the EU once again threatened Syria with new sanctions and stated that there will be no long-term peace in the country under the current regime, according to the final statement on Syria, RIA Novosti reported.
The EU will continue to consider further restrictive measures against Syria as the persecution continues, according to the statement.
“The EU recalls that there will be no long-term peace in Syria under the current regime," the foreign ministers of the EU member-states said.
At the same time, as in October last year, the foreign ministers called on the regime and its allies, in particular Russia, including the co-chairman of the ISSG (International Syria Support Group), to make every effort to ensure the complete ceasefire, the lifting of the siege and unhindered permanent access for the humanitarian help across the country.
The EU remains committed to finding a lasting political solution to the conflict in Syria under the existing UN-agreed framework, as there is no military solution to the Syrian civil war. The EU is also the leading donor in the international response to the Syrian crisis, with over €9.4 billion from the EU and Member States collectively allocated in humanitarian and development assistance since the start of the conflict.
To define how the EU could play an even stronger role, the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have adopted a joint communication proposing a forward-looking EU strategy for Syria on March 14, 2017.
Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed rebel groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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