Brussels, 08/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - Pointing out that, at the December 2012 summit, the Council had been charged with examining all options for backing and aiding the Syrian opposition and giving greater aid to civilians, the European heads of state and government said at the summit in Brussels on 7 and 8 February that the Council would examine and revise the sanctions on Syria if necessary at the upcoming summit, before the arms embargo runs out at midnight on 28 February 2013.
After the summit and despite the publication of an official conclusions document, the French president, François Hollande, said that Syria had not been discussed by the European heads of state. He said that the arms embargo exists and cannot be lifted although some countries are considering doing so (France and the UK, or so it is rumoured: Ed.) unless there is certainty that there is no possibility of political dialogue. The French president said that over the past few days, the head of the Syrian National Coalition had floated the idea of possible talks with the Syrian vice-president. Hollande said that the UN special envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, despite all the dreadful facts, still believes a political solution is possible. The Summit gave the envoy its support.
In the conclusions document calling again for an immediate end to the violence, the Summit expressed its support for the aspirations of the Syrian people and the National Coalition as the legitimate represenative of the Syrian people. The EU leaders said a political transition period is needed for a future without Assad and his illegitimate regime, a regime that they say is mainly responsible for general and systematic violation of human rights and international humanitarian law.
The heads of state and glovernment add that the EU will mobilise resources to provide full support to the peace consolidation process and the introduction of democracy and will continue to provide humanitarian aid and other forms of civilian aid to the Syrian people, encouraging EU member states and the European Commission to increase their contributions. The leaders urge all sides in the conflict to facilitate access for humanitarian work. (CG/transl.fl)