Brussels, 19/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton “is gravely concerned by the escalating violence in Syria”, her spokesman stated on Monday 18 June in a press release, underlining the “urgent need for united action by the international community”.
“It is the primary responsibility of the Syrian government to protect its citizens as well as the international mission, and to end the spiral of violence”, and Ashton “strongly condemns its failure to do so”, the press release states.
The spokesman points out that the worsening of the security situation has meant that the United Nations Supervision Mission (UNSMIS) in Syria has had to temporarily cease its operations and remain at its base. General Robert Mood, who heads the UN observer team in Syria, announced last Saturday that his mission's operations would be suspended due to the increased violence. He was scheduled to address the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
The EU “calls on all parties, including the armed opposition, to cease all violence with immediate effect and allow for immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian aid”. It also supports General Mood's call for evacuation from conflict zones, including the besieged town of Homs, to be allowed for women, children, the elderly and those wounded. The press release from Ashton's spokesman reads: “There is now an urgent need for united action by the international community. The High Representative calls on all members of the UN Security Council to unite and increase the international pressure to reinforce the plan of Kofi Annan and to allow for a political process to begin.”
According to the spokespersons, the EU will, moreover, facilitate the holding of a meeting for the representatives of various Syrian opposition movements next weekend in Brussels. The meeting, organised by Syrian groups, will receive EU financial support in order to attempt to make the opposition more united, the spokesman explained. The secretary general of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Pierre Vimont, is expected to attend the meeting.
During the opening of the 20th session of the UN Human rights Council, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the Syrian government should immediately stop using heavy weapons and the shelling of populated areas. He said such action is equivalent to crimes against humanity and other possible war crimes. The US and Russian presidents, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, called on Monday for an immediate halt to the violence after their meeting at the G20 summit in Los Cabos. (OL/transl.jl)