Brussels, 04/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday evening, 3 December, Michael Mann, the spokesman for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton announced that the European Union had decided to reduce its activities in Damascus (Syria) to a minimum, due to the current security conditions. The spokesman did not provide any further information in this connection. Nonetheless, according to a European source, certain members of the international personnel will return to Brussels. The ambassador, whose mandate is coming to an end, will be replaced by a new chargé d'affaires based in Beirut (Lebanon), explained this same source. Other members of personnel are also expected to be relocated to Beirut.
Earlier on in the day, the UN also announced that it was going to, “suspend its missions within the country” until further notice and withdraw its non-essential personnel from Syria, due to the worsening security conditions. The UN also decided to suspend all visits outside of Damascus and to withdraw certain EU agencies from the city of Aleppo, which is still gripped by violent confrontations between the Syrian army and the opposition. (CG/transl.fl)