| Recent Developments in Syria Are a Matter of Increasing Concern to the International Community |
| (2012-06-26) |
| Last updated: 2012-06-26 13:33 EET |
As the situation in Syria goes from bad to worse, the international community has increased pressure on the political regime in Damascus, in a bid to check the massacres committed by President Bashar al-Assad’s loyal troops against rebels and civilians. Over 15 thousand dead and hundreds of thousands of refugees have been reported during the 15-month-old uprising against the head of state. In Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers on Monday agreed on fresh sanctions on Syria, targeting several firms and on an embargo on weapon sales towards that country on the verge of civil war.
In all, the EU has blacklisted 120 officials and nearly 50 companies. The EU deems the violence in Syria unacceptable and urges Damascus to immediately cease violence against civilians, withdraw the military from the cities under siege and allow for a peaceful power switch. Attending the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Romania on Monday voiced concern over the increased violence in Syria. Bucharest condemns the massacres in that country and calls for an urgent halt of any type of violence.
EU foreign ministers warned that continuing to militarize the conflict would cause Syria great suffering and risked having a tragic impact on the region. The EU will further call on the international community to join efforts and take the necessary measures to tighten restrictions imposed on the Syrian regime and its supporters. Moreover, the European Union has urged the Syrian people to distance themselves from the repressive policy of Assad’s regime, in order to ease political transition and has called on opposition groups to actively and fully support Kofi Annan’s plan.
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, believes that the involvement of Russia, one of Damascus’s old allies, in a peaceful political process for Syria is extremely important. Moscow and China have repeatedly blocked a number of resolutions of the UN Security Council condemning the regime in Damascus.
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2025-04-03
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