Canada welcomes outcome of ISSG meeting in Munich, calls for genuine commitment to UN-led peace talks on Syria

News Release

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February 12, 2016 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement welcoming the outcome of the International Syria Support Group meeting in Munich.

“We welcome the outcome of the International Syria Support Group meeting in Munich, in particular the commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and to implementing a nationwide ceasefire in Syria. We hope this will pave the way for a resumption of UN-led peace talks in Geneva. It is absolutely necessary to end this conflict, which has caused the death of over 250,000 people, including 12,000 children.

“A genuine commitment from all parties to the UN-led peace talks is now essential. Continued military offensives by the Syrian regime and its backers will only jeopardize the prospects for peace and strengthen the position of terrorist groups such as ISIL \[the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant\].

“We call for an immediate end to attacks on civilians, the termination of siege tactics, the release of women and children detainees and the granting of full humanitarian access, in accordance with international humanitarian law.”