Brussels, 04/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Although the presidents of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the president of the Federation of Russia, Vladimir Putin, underlined during the EU-Russia summit on 4 June that they supported the Geneva II conference, they still disagree over their policies with regard to Syria.
Venting frustration over the lifting of the European arms embargo, Putin explained once more that any attempt to influence the situation in Syria by force, by military intervention, is doomed to failure and would have very heavy humanitarian consequences. He said that Moscow has not “for now” delivered the S-300 surface-to-air missiles to the Syrian regime, a deal signed before the outbreak of the present conflict. He also said that Moscow did not wish to break the balance of power in the region.
By way of response, Van Rompuy pointed out that member states have openly committed to not supplying arms “for now” in order to give talks a real chance of making progress.
Common front on Geneva.
Putin said that the EU and Russia will cooperate closely to ensure that the Geneva II talks are a success. Views are broadly similar regarding the launching of these talks, Van Rompuy added, saying that the main aims of the Geneva conference should be to set confidence-building measures in place, along with access for humanitarian aid, a gradual ceasefire, the release of prisoners, and access for UN observers. Barroso stressed the need to ensure unrestricted and unconditional access to humanitarian aid, by all parties.
Putin placed emphasis on the fact that the Syrian government had expressed its willingness to take part at the Geneva conference, explaining that it is important to determine who is to represent the opposition and for that question to be settled as soon as possible.
In addition to discussion on Syria, the leaders talked about the Iranian nuclear programme, Afghanistan, and North Korea, subjects on which the EU and Russia work together. They also discussed the prolonged conflicts in Europe, such as those in Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh and also Russian-Georgian relations. (CG/transl.jl)