Syria: EU Foreign Ministers back deployment of Observers

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COUNCIL OF

THE EUROPEAN UNION

Council conclusions on Syria

3159th FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting

Luxembourg, 23 April 2012

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"1.

The EU welcomes the unanimous adoption of the UNSC resolution 2042 on 14 April

authorising the immediate deployment of an advance team of up to 30 unarmed military

observers and of the UNSC resolution 2043 on 21 April establishing the full UN supervision

mission in Syria (UNSMIS) with an initial deployment of up to 300 unarmed military

observers as well as an appropriate civilian component, to monitor a cessation of armed

violence and to monitor and support all aspects of the joint UN-League of Arab States Special

Envoy Kofi Annan's six point proposal. The EU calls for an immediate and full

implementation of the UNSC resolutions. It also calls on all the Members of the UN Security

Council to continue to support Kofi Annan in his efforts and ensure that the fully-fledged UN

observation mission in Syria is deployed expeditiously and operationalised without delay. It is

crucial that UNSC Members use all their influence to ensure that the UNSC resolutions are

fully implemented.

The EU strongly urges the Syrian government to allow the effective operation and

deployment of the mission and its advance team and allow full freedom of movement, access

and communication including agreement on the use of air assets. The EU and its Member

States are ready to provide support that might be requested to guarantee the success of the

observer mission.

2.

The EU reaffirms its full support to the Joint UN-League of Arab States Special Envoy Kofi

Annan’s mission and his six point Plan. A complete cessation of violence is an essential step

in the full implementation of this Plan. The EU recalls its full support for the Special Envoy’s

efforts to facilitate a peaceful Syrian-led and inclusive dialogue leading to a political solution

that meets the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people on the basis of the UN General

Assembly resolution of 16 February 2012 and League of Arab States resolutions, in particular

those of 22 January, 12 February and 10 March 2012.

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3.

Recalling its previous Council conclusions on Syria, the European Union remains deeply

concerned about the fragility of the situation in Syria with reports of the use of heavy

weaponry in civilian areas. The EU urges the Syrian government to implement its

commitments in their entirety and to show a visible and verifiable sign of change by

withdrawing all troops and heavy weapons from population centres to their barracks to

facilitate a sustained cessation of violence. The EU strongly condemns the systematic and

widespread violations of human rights by the regime. It recalls that all those responsible for

human rights violations should be held accountable. It calls upon all parties in Syria to cease

immediately violence in all its forms.

4.

The European Union reiterates its concerns about the humanitarian plight of the Syrian

civilian population. The Syrian authorities must grant immediate, unimpeded and full access

of humanitarian organisations to all areas of Syria in order to allow them to deliver

humanitarian assistance including medical care. The EU calls on all parties to cooperate fully

with the UN and relevant humanitarian organisations to facilitate the provision of

humanitarian assistance. The EU welcomes the efforts made by neighbouring countries to

host Syrian refugees who fled violence in Syria. The European Union and its Member States

will continue to assist in providing them with dignified living conditions. The EU also

welcomes the outcome of the Syria Humanitarian Forum, held in Geneva on 20 April, calling

for increased access and scaling up of humanitarian capacities to meet the identified

humanitarian needs.

5.

The European Union remains committed to the Syrian opposition’s struggle for freedom,

dignity and democracy for the Syrian people. It reconfirms its engagement with the Syrian

opposition seeking non violent, democratic and inclusive change. The EU welcomes efforts

by the Syrian National Council (SNC) and other opposition groups to articulate a common

vision for the foundations of a new Syria. The EU calls on the SNC and other opposition

groups to continue to support fully the Annan Peace Plan, and to put in place an all-embracing

opposition platform under the auspices of the Arab League to advance their common vision

for working towards an inclusive, orderly and peaceful transition in Syria.

6.

The EU approved today further sanctions, imposing restrictive measures on export of further

goods and technology which may be used for repression and banning the export to Syria of

luxury goods. The EU will continue its policy of imposing additional measures targeting the

regime, not the civilian population, as long as repression continues. The EU will also continue

to urge the international community to join its efforts, in taking steps to apply and enforce

restrictive measures and sanctions on the Syrian regime and its supporters. In this context, the

EU welcomes the first meeting of the international working group on sanctions which was

held in Paris on 17 April. It calls on all Syrians to dissociate themselves from the repressive

policy of the regime in order to facilitate a political transition.

7.

As soon as a genuine democratic transition begins, the EU is ready to develop a new and

ambitious partnership with Syria across all areas of mutual interest, including by mobilising

assistance, strengthening trade and economic relations and supporting transitional justice and

the political transition."

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استنتاجات مجلس الاتحاد الأوروبي حول سورية في 23 نيسان/ أبريل 2012، ترحب بقراري مجلس الأمن 2042 و2043 بنشر بعثة المراقبين الأممية في سورية.