The EU Foreign Ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss the Syrian conflict.
The EU Foreign Ministers on Monday called on Russia to immediately stop bombing the moderate Syrian opposition, saying it's not possible to achieve sustainable peace as long as Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is still in office. Moscow does not share this view, and for the last few days Russian fighters have been bombing positions allegedly held by Islamic State terrorists. The military escalation in the region has put the Syrian conflict in the limelight of global politics.
In Luxembourg, the EU foreign ministers stressed the urgency of preventing the creation of a power void in Syria, similar to the one in Libya. EU officials say the political transition in Syria must observe the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity, with all religious minorities, whether Sunni, Shiite or Christian, co-existing peacefully. The Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, whose country is currently holding the rotating presidency of the EU, warned that unless the United States and Russia reached an agreement on Syria, no solution was foreseeable. Jean Asselborn said the EU must try and bring Russia into the international organization combating the Islamic State, based on the resolution of the UN Security Council. The Luxembourg official said communication with Russia must not be cut off. Russia is helping Assad play the final political transition card in Syria, the official also said.
"The Assad regime bears the greatest responsibility for the death of the 250,000 people who lost their lives in the conflict so far, as well as for the millions of people who have fled the country", reads the document adopted by Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg. Attending the meeting, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said Russia's actions in Syria had contributed to the radicalization of terrorism in the region and should not divert the EU's attention from Ukraine. Romania is ready to take an active role in facilitating dialogue between the EU and Syria, through its embassy in Damascus, Bogdan Aurescu also said. The Romanian official also pointed out that Romania supported the activity and the action plan of the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, aimed at solving the Syrian conflict.
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