HRVP Federica Mogherini meeting with President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (SOC), and General Coordinator of the National Coordination Body (NCB)

The HRVP Federica Mogherini met today the President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (SOC) Anas al-Abdah and the General Coordinator of the National Coordination Body (NCB) Hassan Abdulazim.

The two Syrian opposition groups have been meeting in Brussels, under the auspices of the European Union, to explore common ground and unite the political opposition in the negotiation of a transitional political agreement in the Geneva talks.

The HRVP Federica Mogherini underlined the urgency to find a political solution to the conflict, involving all the parties. The European union, she said, is ready to step up its engagement on the political track and intensify its efforts, together with all international partners, to create the conditions for a substantive resumption of political talks under UN auspices in Geneva.

The HRVP reiterated that the SOC and NCB, in the context of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), have a crucial role to play in those negotiations. She praised the progress made in the talks between the SOC and NCB here in Brussels this week. The EU, she said, will continue to support such discussions.