Brussels, 16/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - During their second meeting in Vienna (see EUROPE 11423), the representatives of 17 countries and the United Nations, as well as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, agreed, on Saturday 14 November, on a timetable for transition and elections in Syria.
In the joint statement adopted, participants underlined their support for a “Syrian-led process that will, within a target of six months, establish credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance, and set a schedule and process for drafting a new constitution”. “Free and fair elections would be held pursuant to the new constitution within 18 months”, they explained. Mogherini added that this is an “ambitious timetable”.
Delegations also agreed on the need to summon representatives of the Syrian government and opposition to formal talks under the auspices of the United Nations “as soon as possible with a deadline fixed at 1 January”.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said after the meeting that there were still differences among participants over the future of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. “Assad's future has not been settled”, said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking on Monday before the European Parliament foreign affairs committee.
Underlining the close link between a political process and a ceasefire, the participants at the conference confirmed their support for the setting in place of a national ceasefire as soon as the representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition “have begun initial steps towards the transition under UN auspices on the basis of the Geneva Communique”. Such a ceasefire would not apply to actions against the Da'esh group or any other group that the participants agree to consider as a terrorist group, the joint statement says. France, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and Russia have undertaken to support the UN Security Council resolution in order to entrust control of the ceasefire to a United Nations mission in zones where its members are not under the threat of terrorist attack and in order to support a political transition process.
The parties also discussed the need to take measures to ensure rapid humanitarian access throughout Syrian territory. On Monday, Mogherini explained that the EU was ready to contribute at the humanitarian level, underlining - but without going into detail - that the EU had already developed ideas on this.
The next meeting in this format is due to be held in about one month's time.
The EU will play its role
Federica Mogherini said the EU would “play its part on all the decisions that were taken today”, whether on the opposition groups, or on the government side, on counter-terrorism work or humanitarian work. “The process can definitely start”, she added. Steinmeier said, on Monday, that “it is important for Europe and the EU to take part in the process”. European foreign ministers met with the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, in Brussels on Monday.
The heads of state of the G20 also discussed the situation in Syria (see related article). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)