Brussels, 23/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 February, Europeans were cautious about the announcement by Russia and the USA of a ceasefire in Syria that is to take effect from midnight on Saturday 27 February, Damascus time (11.00pm Belgian time). The ceasefire excludes the fight against terrorist organisations.
“Before hailing the ceasefire, it is important to ensure it comes about”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini at a hearing in the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on Tuesday 23 February. In a press release, she said the announcement was “of course, very good news” and that it was now crucial to work on the concrete implementation of the modalities, which should apply to all the parties involved in the military or paramilitary hostilities other than the groups designated as terrorist organisations by the United Nations Security Council. “After five years of conflict, we are launching a call to everyone not to miss this opportunity to put an end to the war in Syria and to unite forces to fight against Daesh”, Mogherini added. She told the European Parliament that the EU's work was to exert pressure so that the actors involved in Syria accepted the modalities for the cessation of hostilities, and implemented them. She also said that the ceasefire, like the channelling of humanitarian aid, could enable a resumption of intra-Syrian political negotiations that were “credible”.
Several foreign ministers have also shown caution at the announcement of this agreement. “It is urgent for the ceasefire to be implemented. We will be very watchful of its implementation in good faith by all the parties concerned”, said France's Foreign Minister Jean Marc Ayrault, who added that Paris was in the process of examining the detail of the agreement. “France has constantly called for an end to the bombing. Firstly to avoid new massacres of civilians, then to facilitate access to humanitarian aid, and finally because this is a necessary condition for the resumption of negotiations on the political transition”, he added.
Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the ceasefire would be “an urgent success and a true glimmer of hope for the Syrians” and that “the diplomatic perseverance, tenacity and patient negotiations have finally paid off”. “The parties to the conflict in Syria who do not want to respect the ceasefire from Friday evening must expect a firm response from the international community”, he said.
While hailing the agreement, their British counterpart, Philip Hammond, said the ceasefire “will only succeed if there is a major change of behaviour by the Syrian regime and its backers. Russia, in particular, must honour this agreement by ending its attacks on Syrian civilians and moderate opposition groups, and by using its influence to ensure the Syrian regime does the same”, he said in a press release, calling on Moscow to show compliance in only targeting terrorist organisations. “It is now time for action, not words”, Hammond added.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced that his country would do what was necessary for the Syrian regime to respect the agreement on the cessation of hostilities, and he called on the USA to do the same with its allies and the groups they support. “A real chance to put an end to the years of blood and violence is finally emerging”, he said in a televised speech. No sooner had the agreement been announced than the high committee of negotiations, which brings together key groups in the Syrian opposition, said that its commitment to respect the ceasefire was conditional upon the lifting of sieges on Syrian towns, the release of prisoners, a stop to the bombing of civilians, and the delivery of humanitarian aid. The Syrian regime accepted the ceasefire, stating that it would continue military operations “to fight against terrorism from Daesh, the al-Nusra front and the other terrorist groups that are linked to them, in line with the announcement from Russia and the USA”. It stated that it was ready to coordinate with Russia in order to determine the regions and armed groups to which the ceasefire will apply. Bashar al-Assad has announced the holding of parliamentary elections on 13 April. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)