High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini has again warned against a military offensive in Idlib (Syria), calling on Russia, Turkey and Iran to protect the region.
"Idlib is the last remaining de-escalation zone in Syria that the Astana guarantors committed to safeguard", Mogherini said in a press release that was published at the end of her phonecall with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.
"The European Union calls on the Astana guarantors to follow through on their commitment and protect civilians as a matter of priority. All necessary measures to protect civilian lives as well as unhindered, safe and sustainable humanitarian access need to be ensured", she said.
Once again, Mogherini called for a military offensive to be avoided. "We risk a new escalation in Idlib that has to be avoided, or those who have decided it or allowed it will be held responsible in front of their peoples and of history", she warned after her phonecall with de Mistura.
In addition to the risk of endangering the lives of over 3 million civilians living in the region, and provoking a new humanitarian disaster, "a full-scale military operation in Idlib province would escalate an already dangerous conflict in a volatile region", she said, adding that any use of chemical weapons could have devastating human and humanitarian consequences.
Mogherini again gave de Mistura the EU's support for "an inclusive, credible and sustainable political solution in Syria" – the only way of bringing a solution to the conflict.
After the Russian air strikes the previous day, the Syrian regime's artillery bombed several regions in the province of Idlib.
The USA has called a meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday. The presidents of the guarantor countries will meet in Tehran the same day. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)