The EU should not be an observer or silent when it comes to developments in Syria, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, said before the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU which is taking place on Monday in Brussels. Kombos also referred to a non-paper submitted by Cyprus with the support of Austria and Greece regarding the next steps that the EU should take.
The Foreign Affairs Minister also underlined that there should be an open and inclusive transition of power with full protection of the rights of minorities, and not the replacement of a despotic regime with a new one, supported by new external actors.
Upon arriving to the Council, Kombos said that the Foreign Ministers would be focusing on the developing situation and the “highly volatile situation in Syria”, and noted that what has been happening is “an extremely dangerous development” but that “there is also a window of opportunity there as well”.
“Syria has been suffering for a very long time and the people of Syria deserve much more. We urge the European Union to be more actively engaged, and we believe that there is a very important role for the European Union to play” he stressed.
“Cyprus has submitted a concept paper with specific and concrete proposals as to the way ahead,” the Foreign Minister noted, referring to a non-paper which is being submitted with the support of Austria and Greece.
Kombos noted that “there should be a very clear track towards an open, transparent, autonomous and inclusive transition of power with full protection of the rights of minorities and full respect to the rich diversity of Syria.”
“There is no room for replacing the despotic regime with a new one, with just new internal and external protagonists,” he pointed out.
The Foreign Minister also stressed that the EU “should be a force of contribution” and “a leader in terms of development, reconstruction and humanitarian aid, subject to the established conditionalities.”
“And it should be a very vocal facilitator in terms of the transition process in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254,” he added.
“We are at a critical juncture and there is, as I said, opportunity, but also danger. The European Union has an interest and a responsibility as to the outcome. This is not the time to be silent. This is not the time to be an observer. This is a table from which the European Union cannot be absent,” Kombos stressed.
