The EU is a full member and active participant in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG). It fully supports the UNled process, notably the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria. The EU welcomes the agreement announced by the United States and Russia, as co-chairs of the ISSG, on 10 September 2016, reinstating the cessation of hostilities in Syria. All parties to the conflict, other than groups designated as terrorist organisations by the United Nations Security Council must now ensure the effective implementation of cessation of hostilities, enable the lifting of all sieges, and allow sustained, countrywide humanitarian access to those in need. Progress on the issue of detainees and missing persons must also follow.
The resumption of fighting since the initial Cessation of hostilities agreement has again shown that there can be no military solution to the conflict, and that the elimination of Da’esh and other UN-listed terrorist entities in Syria also requires a political solution to the civil war. Stability in Syria will only be restored through a Syrian-led political process leading to a peaceful and inclusive transition, based on the principles of the Geneva communiqué of 30 June 2012 and in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions notably 2254). The EU is also ready to provide support to stabilisation and reconstruction once political transition has started.
The EU has called for an end to the unacceptable violence in Syria, which continues to cause the suffering of millions of Syrians and immeasurable destruction of infrastructure. Attacks on cultural heritage are also an unfortunate consequence of the conflict. The EU continues to condemn in the strongest terms the continuing violence and the widespread and systematic violations of human rights.
The European Union has responded decisively to the violent repression of anti-government protests in Syria which began in March 2011, by suspending its cooperation with the Syrian Government under the European Neighbourhood Policy and gradually extending restrictive measures. The EU supports the opposition delegation to the intra-Syrian talks, through the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), as well as Syrian civil society actors.
The EU’s objective is to bring an end to the conflict and enable the Syrian people to live in peace in their own country. The latest EU position is stated in the Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on Syria and the situation in Aleppo published on 18 August 2016 and in the Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions of 23 May 2016.
In response to the conflict in Syria and its consequences both in Syria and in neighbouring countries, a communication was adopted in June 2013 mapping out a comprehensive EU approach to the Syrian crisis. This was followed by the implementation by the EU and its Member States’ of a comprehensive EU regional strategy for Syria, Iraq and the Da’esh threat adopted in March 2015 and reviewed in May 2016.
The EU has also expressed its concerns about the involvement of extremist and foreign non-state actors in the fighting in Syria, which is further fuelling the conflict and posing a threat to regional stability. The Syria and Iraq : Counter Terrorism/Foreign Fighters Strategy was endorsed at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 20 October 2014. The EU supports by non-military means the efforts by more than sixty States in the Global Coalition to counter Da’esh.
The EU has been at the forefront of the work done to put Syrian chemical weapons under international control, to eventually lead to their destruction.
The EU Delegation to Syria scaled down its activities for security reasons in late 2012, but the Delegation expatriate staff continue to operate from Brussels and Beirut, carrying out regular missions to Damascus.