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EU foreign policy chief joins UN in urging solution to Syria conflict EU foreign policy chief joins UN in urging solution to Syria conflict
(about 1 hour later)
The EU foreign affairs representative has made a surprise intervention in the Syrian peace talks while traveling from Belgium to Geneva, to demand both sides reach a political agreement and end the threat of further atrocities such as the Brussels terror attacks.The EU foreign affairs representative has made a surprise intervention in the Syrian peace talks while traveling from Belgium to Geneva, to demand both sides reach a political agreement and end the threat of further atrocities such as the Brussels terror attacks.
Federica Mogherini confronted the head of the Syrian government delegation, Bashar Ja’afari, and demanded he enter detailed talks on a political transition, saying it was her responsibility to bring a message from Europe that “the situation in Syria has got to stop”.Federica Mogherini confronted the head of the Syrian government delegation, Bashar Ja’afari, and demanded he enter detailed talks on a political transition, saying it was her responsibility to bring a message from Europe that “the situation in Syria has got to stop”.
At a press conference, she said: “Both sides have to enter into a political process without delays, without games and with a spirit of reaching a conclusion.” The EU has for many years called on president Bashar al-Assad to stand aside, but Mogherini said her key priority was to urge both sides to reach an agreement that would then make it easier to attack Islamic State.At a press conference, she said: “Both sides have to enter into a political process without delays, without games and with a spirit of reaching a conclusion.” The EU has for many years called on president Bashar al-Assad to stand aside, but Mogherini said her key priority was to urge both sides to reach an agreement that would then make it easier to attack Islamic State.
She added there was no time for excuses and the onus was on those that complained about terrorism to show what they were going to do bring about a political settlement in Syria.She added there was no time for excuses and the onus was on those that complained about terrorism to show what they were going to do bring about a political settlement in Syria.
The three suspected bombers in the carnage in Brussels had known links to the terror cell behind November’s attacks in Paris – several of whom had previously traveled to Syria.The three suspected bombers in the carnage in Brussels had known links to the terror cell behind November’s attacks in Paris – several of whom had previously traveled to Syria.
The invitation to come to talk to the Syrian government in Geneva was made by the UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is struggling to persuade the Syrian government to even discuss how a political transition might work.The invitation to come to talk to the Syrian government in Geneva was made by the UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is struggling to persuade the Syrian government to even discuss how a political transition might work.
Assad and Ja’affari want the discussions to focus on either general principles or lead to an acceptance that the opposition contains terrorists. Ja’afari has said he wanted the European Union to reopen its embassies and lift sanctions on Damascus, but said that while his team would return for a second round of talks in Geneva, he they could not come back before Syrian elections on April 13. Assad and Ja’affari want the discussions to focus on either general principles or lead to an acceptance that the opposition contains terrorists. Ja’afari has said he wanted the European Union to reopen its embassies and lift sanctions on Damascus, but said that while his team would return for a second round of talks in Geneva, he they could not come back before Syrian elections on 13 April.
Mogherini said she would not discuss the Syrian government’s wider demands.Mogherini said she would not discuss the Syrian government’s wider demands.
Her intervention came on the penultimate day of a first round of talks in Geneva between the government and opposition delegations that has seen unexpected progress on a ceasefire, a patchy extension of humanitarian aid inside Syria, but almost no progress on the chief agenda item opening a dialogue about Syria’s political future.Her intervention came on the penultimate day of a first round of talks in Geneva between the government and opposition delegations that has seen unexpected progress on a ceasefire, a patchy extension of humanitarian aid inside Syria, but almost no progress on the chief agenda item opening a dialogue about Syria’s political future.
The disparate opposition, working under the umbrella body the high negotiations committee, has put forward detailed proposals on a transitional governing body that would run the country ahead of elections for a new president in 18 moths time, but the Syrian government delegation has refused to shift from a paper setting out very broad principles, insisting it is premature to discuss a transitional body.The disparate opposition, working under the umbrella body the high negotiations committee, has put forward detailed proposals on a transitional governing body that would run the country ahead of elections for a new president in 18 moths time, but the Syrian government delegation has refused to shift from a paper setting out very broad principles, insisting it is premature to discuss a transitional body.
Other internal Syrian opposition groups, given consultative status at the talks, said any insistence that Assad should stand aside will be a recipe for a continuation of the violence.Other internal Syrian opposition groups, given consultative status at the talks, said any insistence that Assad should stand aside will be a recipe for a continuation of the violence.
In a bid to show the talks have momentum, De Mistura will publish a paper on Thursday setting out his analysis of any points of convergence on basic political principles for a future Syria, such as a unitary secular state.In a bid to show the talks have momentum, De Mistura will publish a paper on Thursday setting out his analysis of any points of convergence on basic political principles for a future Syria, such as a unitary secular state.
He will also call for the talks to reconvene on 8 or 9 April, giving time for delegations to consult. De Mistura is also hoping that a meeting between the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and the Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday will lead to a clear Russian decision to use its political leverage to urge Assad to engage on the issue of a political transition. He will also call for the talks to reconvene on 8 or 9 April, giving time for delegations to consult. De Mistura is also hoping that a meeting between the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow on Thursday will lead to a clear Russian decision to use its political leverage to urge Assad to engage on the issue of a political transition.
The De Mistura timetable suggests he is going to reject a Syrian government demand that the talks to be delayed until a round of constitutionally dubious Syrian parliamentary elections called by Assad for 13 April.The De Mistura timetable suggests he is going to reject a Syrian government demand that the talks to be delayed until a round of constitutionally dubious Syrian parliamentary elections called by Assad for 13 April.
In the days leading up to the reconvening of the talks on 9 April, the US and Russia hope both to strengthen the still haphazard cooperation on monitoring ceasefire breaches and lift the major sieges that are still imposed by the government in Douma and Darayya.In the days leading up to the reconvening of the talks on 9 April, the US and Russia hope both to strengthen the still haphazard cooperation on monitoring ceasefire breaches and lift the major sieges that are still imposed by the government in Douma and Darayya.
It is also likely that the Syrian government will complete the recapture of Palmyra from Isis, a development that Putin had predicted when he partially withdrew Russian troops at the beginning of the week.It is also likely that the Syrian government will complete the recapture of Palmyra from Isis, a development that Putin had predicted when he partially withdrew Russian troops at the beginning of the week.
Jan Egeland, the UN special humanitarian adviser on Syria, said 384,000 people reached since the beginning of the year via inter-agency convoys in hard-to-reach areas, besieged areas, and other priority cross-line areas. He added the Syrian government had given verbal assurances about allowing convoys into all areas save Douma and Daraya, two towns with populations of more than 200,000.Jan Egeland, the UN special humanitarian adviser on Syria, said 384,000 people reached since the beginning of the year via inter-agency convoys in hard-to-reach areas, besieged areas, and other priority cross-line areas. He added the Syrian government had given verbal assurances about allowing convoys into all areas save Douma and Daraya, two towns with populations of more than 200,000.
Air drops were still being considered by the World Food Programme in a third town of Deir ez-Zor.Air drops were still being considered by the World Food Programme in a third town of Deir ez-Zor.