During a debate on Tuesday 16 May, MEPs urged the EU to do more to put an end to the war in Syria.
"We need more power from the EU, otherwise it is others who play a role that is neither to the benefit of the Syrian people, not to ours", said Marietje Schaake (ALDE, Netherlands). She said she would like the EU to have a bigger role in a solution negotiated under the aegis of the UN, but she would also like High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to use her good relations with Iran more in order to tip the balance. Victor Boștinaru (S&D, Romania) underlined the fact that the EU should play a more effective role in the negotiations.
While stating that she shared Mogherini's political vision on settling the war in Syria, Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL, Portugal) said there was much to do in addition to the strategy for Syria that was presented by the Commission and European External Action Service (EEAS) on 14 March (see EUROPE 11745). She highlighted the need for an arms embargo on the region. "An arms embargo is needed to put an end to the war. It's not possible to keep feeding this area with arms", she said.
Arnaud Danjean (EPP, France) was more harsh. "Europe is still not a key actor in settling this conflict. A more realistic approach in the balance of power is needed, a perhaps modest ambition and a resolve on the part of each and every party", he said, adding that no diplomatic effort should be spared in contributing to the search for a political solution. "The strategy (on Syria) is, in many respects, still terribly divorced from the reality – the horror of which seems to know no limits. At least it has the merit of setting out the few principles of a solution – principles that were brought in five years ago and that, we hope, will one day reach maturity", Mogherini said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)