Brussels, 28/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - After long and hard discussions on Monday 27 May, the European Union renewed its sanctions against Syria for a year starting from 1 June - with the exception of the embargo on weapons destined for the Syrian coalition, which becomes a national matter.
“I admit that it's a renationalisation of the file”, said Belgium's Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Reynders. “It is not, indeed, a 'true' European solution, but we have at least prevented there being no more sanctions at all”, he added. “The member states can take different decisions but that does not mean that we have lost our ability to have a common foreign policy”, reassured High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. “There is a European agreement to say that, as there is no longer any European regime, we nevertheless have a commitment together on what can be done” in terms of the arms embargo, a European source tried to clarify.
In a joint statement that is the equivalent of a European decision, the member states committed to not proceeding with the delivery of lethal equipment at this stage - lethal equipment that would be subject to strict conditions. The Foreign Affairs Council will reassess its position before 1 August 2013 “on the basis of a report by the high representative, after having consulted the UN secretary general, on the developments related to the US-Russia initiative (Geneva conference) and on the engagement of the Syrian parties”, the Council statement points out.
According to this Council statement, the member states take the commitment that - in their national policies - the sale, supply, transfer or export of military material or equipment which might be used for internal repression will have the objective of supporting the national Syrian coalition and protecting civilians. The member states must require adequate safeguards against any misuse of authorisation - in particular, “relevant” information about the final destination and the end user of the delivery. Lastly, the EU27 must assess the applications for export licences on a case-by-case basis, taking full account of the criteria set out in the common position of 2008 defining the rules on the control of exports of military technology and equipment.
“While we have no immediate plans to send arms to Syria, it (the lifting of the arms embargo) gives us the flexibility to respond in the future if the situation continues to deteriorate”, said British Foreign Secretary William Hague after the Council. In Hague's opinion, this is the “right decision” which “sends a very strong message from Europe to the Assad regime”. Although, like the British, the French reportedly envisage the possibility of delivering weapons in the future, the Spanish, Belgians, Germans, Austrians, Swedish and Dutch are not expected to do so.
Reynders hoped that the European decision “will put pressure on all the parties to negotiate in Geneva”. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he was pleased with the common EU position which is an “important sign” to the Syrian regime.
Complicated discussions. This decision is the result of over ten hours of talks, which began on Monday at 11.00am and finished at midnight - with a dinner with the enlargement countries as an interlude. The backdrop was the looming spectre of sanctions totally expiring on 1 June.
Twenty-six countries agreed with the modified vision of the interim proposal of the European External Action Service (EEAS), which had suggested the possibility of exporting certain lethal products for the coalition to help the population, with strict conditions. Austria was reportedly opposed to this. “Sending arms is against the principles of Europe, which is a community of peace”, said Austria's Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, who earlier in the evening had announced a failure of the negotiations. The bone of contention was the fact that this decision - suspended until 1 August, while awaiting the Geneva conference - required (or not) a new decision from the Council. According to a European source, although all the delegations were in favour of the automatic nature of the measure, Vienna wanted a new decision.
Two other options - which were quickly abandoned - were (i) the continuation of the embargo, and (ii) the lifting of the embargo on arms destined for the Syrian coalition (and not the lifting of all the sanctions as stated in EUROPE 10853).
Maintaining other sanctions and support for the Geneva conference. The Council also decided to prolong the other sanctions against Syria for 12 months starting from 1 June - in other words, the measures on import and export restrictions “with the exception of arms and related material and equipment which might be used for internal repression”, restrictions on financing of certain businesses, on infrastructure projects and on financial support for trade. Measures concerning the financial and transport sectors, admission restrictions and the freezing of economic resources and funds are also prolonged for 12 months.
In its conclusions, the Council hails the US-Russian call for a peace conference and underlines that “the EU will spare no effort in helping to create the appropriate conditions for a successful convening of this conference”. The ministers call on the two parties to the conflict to respond positively to this call and to openly commit to a true process of negotiation. The EU calls on the opposition to be more united. The ministers also state their concern about the rise of religiously or ethnically motivated violence, the involvement “of extremist and foreign non-state actors” in the conflict, and the possible use of chemical weapons in the conflict. (CG/transl.fl)