EU does still not believe in peace under Assad

EU flagEU flag.Photo Norway Today Media

EU stands firm that there cannot be lasting peace in Syria under the current regime. But Syrians must decide this for themselves, emphasized the foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

EU foreign ministers approved a new Syria strategy when they met in Luxembourg on Monday. The strategy reiterates the EU’s stance that there cannot be lasting peace in Syria under the current regime.

– We have always said that the EU believes it will be impossible for Syria to return to the situation seven years ago.

After six and a half years of war, it seems completely unrealistic to think that Syria will be exactly the same in the future as it was before. But it is up to the Syrian people to decide this themselves, said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on her way into the meeting.

If the parties in this conflict will find a political solution that everyone can accept, then the EU will support this, she said.

The statement comes after the United States last week made it clear that it had to be up to the Syrians themselves to decide President Bashar al-Assad’s fate.

– We no longer prioritize to have a focus on getting Assad out, said US ambassador  Nikki Haley to the UN.

Norway has settled close to the EU line.

– Norway has long believed that there will be no lasting peace with Assad as president, and that the conflict must be resolved through a political process, said communications adviser Guri Solberg at the Foreign Ministry to NTB on Friday.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

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