Luxembourg, 14/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 14 April, the Foreign Affairs Ministers denounced the holding of presidential elections in Syria before mid-July, as a “parody of democracy, without any credibility”. In the conclusions they adopted, they point out that “any elections in Syria should only take place within the framework of the Geneva Communiqué and through genuine political process”. “Any elections, presidential or other, organised by the regime outside this framework, conducted in the midst of conflict, only in regime-controlled areas and with millions of Syrians displaced from their homes would be a parody of democracy, have no credibility whatsoever, and undermine efforts to reach a political solution”, they stress. They call on other countries and organisations to adopt the same position. The Council reiterates the “importance of reinvigorating the Geneva process” and urges those with influence on the Syrian regime to put pressure on it to engage much more constructively in the talks.
Threats of further sanctions against support to the regime
In their conclusions, the ministers also note with “great concern” the attempts of the regime to circumvent EU restrictive measures in order to secure new resources and continue financing its policy of violence. “The EU will act swiftly against persons and entities which are facilitating the circumvention of EU sanctions and will take appropriate steps to keep existing sanctions effective”, the ministers state, adding that the EU will continue its sanctions policy targeting the regime as long as repression continues, and will explore what more can be done to target those responsible for human rights violations or international humanitarian law violations. The EU also calls for the United Nations resolution on free humanitarian access in Syria to be observed.
The foreing ministers also condemned the regime's decision to secure the military support of foreign groups, “including the military wing of Hezbollah, al-Quds Force and Liwa Abu Fadl al-Abbas”. The EU welcomes the fact that the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SOC) has rejected terrorism and the fact that the Syrian opposition has taken the lead in the fight against the Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant. The EU calls on all parties to put an end to their support of these groups. (CG)