On Thursday 6 October, MEPs urged all sides in the conflict in Syria "and especially Russia and the Assad regime, to stop all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure".
In a common statement from the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, Greens/EFA and EFDD adopted by 508 to 50 with 56 abstentions, the European Parliament urges them to "undertake credible and immediate steps for the cessation of hostilities, to lift all sieges and to allow rapid, safe, and unhindered access for humanitarian agencies to reach all people in need". The European Parliament "expresses its deepest concern for the human suffering in the besieged areas of Aleppo (…)" and calls for "medical evacuations of wounded and sick people from Eastern Aleppo, with a focus on women, children and the elderly; urges all parties to urgently provide the necessary authorisations for humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations to proceed".’ The Parliament "unconditionally condemns the recent attacks on a humanitarian relief convoy and a Red Crescent warehouse near Aleppo as severe and alarming violations of international humanitarian law and as a possible war crime", warning that those guilty of such crimes shall be held responsible.
The MEPs urge all participants in the International Syria Support Group to resume talks "to facilitate the establishment of a stable truce and to intensify work for a lasting political settlement in Syria". They say the EU "should pursue its efforts and, collectively, through the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy / vice-president of the Commission, play a more pronounced role in mediating a peace deal for Syria". They say there should be renewed efforts "towards a common EU Syria strategy, which would aim at facilitating a political settlement in Syria, and include monitoring and enforcement tools to strength respect for agreements and obligations made within the International Syria Support Group". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)