Brussels, 14/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 14 May, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva stressed that there is “room for refining the sanctions regime” of the EU against Syria, “for humanitarian aid to be able to penetrate Syria”. “We must continue to help the people inside the country”, she said, having just returned from Lebanon and Jordan. She stated that it is “appropriate, given the enormity of the tragedy, to explore further means to allow humanitarian access”, adding that “medicines, food and fuel” for humanitarian aid are “a priority”. Georgieva spoke about lifting the embargo on oil in the regions controlled by the opposition. However, while the political decision was taken on 22 April (see EUROPE 10832), the implementing regulation has still not been adopted.
The previous day, while visiting the United States, British Prime Minister David Cameron said that the United Kingdom continues to assess and consider the arms embargo, and to see if it should proceed to amendments with a view to facilitating work with the opposition. Cameron said he believed that there is more that can be done - alongside the technical advice, assistance and aid - so as to shape the opposition and work with it. He added for sceptics that, in his opinion, if the Syrian opposition is recognised as legitimate but not given help, they should not be surprised if extremist elements start to develop.
No short term political solution. Like David Cameron and US President Barack Obama, Georgieva hailed the initiative of the so-called Geneva II conference for peace, underlining that she is sceptical about a swift solution to the conflict. “We should not abandon the idea of a political solution. We need to set up Geneva II - it's all we have. We need to try to create bridges between parties, and to bring them to negotiate”, Georgieva stated, saying that the Syrians “don't expect a rapid solution. So much blood has been shed that to bring the parties to the negotiating table will not be easy”. She said that while the political path is “extremely difficult”, it is “the only solution to put an end to the suffering of the people” and that this direction should be followed “with still more determination”. Georgieva added that “every effort to put an end to this insanity” must be made. She also called for the respect of human rights for all parties in the conflict and called for further support. “Further support must be brought. We must go further. We must see how to increase our contribution, both on the humanitarian level and to support local communities on the ground”, she said, adding that “it is essential for the international community to wake up because the humanitarian crisis in Syria is the biggest in recent years”.
The Friends of Syria group will meet again in Jordan “in the middle of next week”, the Jordanian minister for foreign affairs announced on 14 May (our translation throughout). (CG/transl.fl)