EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini called on Monday 26 February for the immediate implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire of at least 30 days in Syria that was adopted on Saturday 24 February.
“We expect the resolution to come into effect fully and immediately”, she made clear after the Foreign Affairs Council. On her arrival, she had stressed that, while adoption of the resolution was “necessary and encouraging”, it was only “a first step”.
“We will continue to work in the coming weeks and days with the United Nations and with all our international and regional partners to make sure that there is immediate improvement in the situation on the ground”, she had added. She made particular reference to the three guarantors of the Astana Process: Russia, Turkey and Iran. She said that she would write to them to emphasise that the ceasefire should begin “immediately”, so that humanitarian aid can get through. “Those who hold responsibilities must exercise them”, she said, underlining, too, that they should ensure that the de-escalation zones, put in place under the Astana discussions, should be respected. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn also urged the EU to call on Turkey to halt its march on Afrin, a city of 400,000 inhabitants.
His Belgian counterpart Didier Reynders also called for the ceasefire to come into force in the Syrian territories which are facing “inadmissible bombardment”. “These are acts of barbarity that have taken place and are continuing to be perpetrated. Maximum pressure must be brought to bear, in East Ghouta notably, for the bombardment really to cease” and for humanitarian aid to get through, he added.
Asselborn also said that UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura would take part in the next Foreign Affairs Council on 19 March.
Sanctions against two further ministers. The Council added two more Syrian ministers, Industry Minister Mohamed Mazen Ali Yousef and Minister of Information Imad Abdullah Sara, both of whom were appointed in January 2018, to the list of those targeted by EU restrictive measures. The legal acts in relation to this decision were published in the Official Journal on 26 February.
This decision brings to 257 the total number of persons targeted by a travel ban and an assets freeze for being responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria, benefiting from or supporting the regime, and/or being associated with such persons. In addition, 67 entities are targeted by an assets freeze. More broadly, sanctions currently in place against Syria include an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank held in the EU, export restrictions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications. These measures will remain in place until 1 June 2018. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)