Brussels, 16/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - Two major Syrian opposition groups, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (SOC) and National Coordination Body for the Forces of Democratic Change (NCB) called on Wednesday 15 June for the E3+3 format (Germany, France, the United Kingdom and China, the United States and Russia), which enabled an agreement to be reached on the nuclear question in Iran, to be used to move towards peace in the Syrian crisis.
“We should be able to build up an E3+3 formula. This formula may help in one way or another for Syria”, said SOC president Anas al-Abdeh at a press conference in Brussels. Pointing out that the international Syria support group had a lot of members, he felt that the E3+3 formula could be more effective and prevent Russia and the United Stales dominating the talks, which he said was hindering progress. The six members of the E3+3 could be joined by one or two Middle Eastern countries, added the SOC president.
In a joint statement issued after a three-day conference in Brussels, the two Syrian opposition groups said: “We are calling upon the European Union to advance its role in supporting and ensuring the success of a political solution, in addition to its active participation in supporting the negotiation process, implementing international resolutions, ending the regime's violence, countering all forms of terrorism, and strengthening its support for Syrian refugees and resolve their problems”. Anas said the EU should be more effective and provide more support for reaching a political solution.
Earlier in the day, Anas and NCB General Coordinator Hassan Abdulazim met with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. She said the European Union was ready to step up its engagement on the political track and intensify its efforts, together with all international partners, to create the conditions for a substantive resumption of political talks under the auspices of the UN in Geneva, explained a press release from the European External Action Service. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)