Strasbourg, 16/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - At a debate at the European Parliament on 16 January, the members of the European Parliament called on the EU to change tack in its policy on the Syrian crisis, stressing that the conflict dates back to March 2011. “We need to change course”, said Hélène Flautre (Greens/EFA, France). “There is no point sticking to our embargo on weapons”, she argued, stressing that the regime's opponents are acquiring their weapons from Gulf countries at risk of Islamisation, with the EU refusing to arm the opposition in order to rule out this risk. “The opposite is actually happening, the Council needs to tackle the issue (of the embargo) and make a decision”, she added. Flautre went on to stress the problems in channelling humanitarian aid and the need to trigger the temporary shelter plan for the Syrians.
Ignacio Salafranca (EPP, Spain) said that “the international community needs to make a decision (…), we need to move forward in this situation”. Whilst welcoming the humanitarian initiatives of the EU, he stated that the citizens of the EU “hope that the EU is capable of stopping this murderous situation, and that it is able to adopt measures capable of putting an end to this shameful situation and which are enough to deal with the circumstances”. “Realpolitik is what is needed for 2013”, stressed Bastiian Belder (EFD). He argued that, in order to put an end to the conflict, it will be necessary to “implement policies”, by means of contact with all parties in order to help towards the reconciliation of the country and prevent a “balkanisation of the conflict”.
His colleague Véronique de Keyser (S&D, Belgium) asked about Europe's place in the initiative in 55 countries to bring the Assad regime before the International Criminal Court. This move is supported by all of the countries of the EU with the exception of Sweden, her colleague Marietje Schaake (ADLE, Netherlands) stated, going on to voice concern about the EU's non-participation in talks underway at Geneva between the special envoy, Russia and the US.
“Syria is not infected by a civil war but by external intervention”, said Marisa Matias (GUE, Portugal), as several of her colleagues also stated, stressing the importance of a “policy which makes it impossible for opportunists to interfere”.
In the view of Charles Tannock (ECR, UK) and Philip Claeys (independent, Belgium), atrocities have been committed on both sides. “We need to be cautious when we give our support to the opposition forces”, Tannock said. Claeys added that the “Assad regime no longer has the monopoly on the horror. It is important that the EU take account of the fact that opposition groups are also capable of killing”. (CG/transl.fl)