3/4/2017
Council adopts EU strategy on Syria |
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1. Recalling
the Council Conclusions of 23 May and 17 October 2016 and the European
Council Conclusions of 15 December 2016, the Council is appalled by the
continuing dire situation in Syria and the persistent humanitarian,
security and political issues arising from the conflict. 13.5 million
Syrians are now in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria
including 6.3 million internally displaced, 1.5 million living under
siege conditions, and a further 5 million Syrian refugees hosted by its
neighbours and the wider region.
2. The
Syrian regime has the primary responsibility for the protection of the
Syrian population. The Council therefore calls upon the regime and its
allies, notably Russia including as a co-Chair of the ISSG, to undertake
all efforts to ensure: a full cessation of hostilities; the lifting of
sieges; and full unhindered sustainable country-wide humanitarian
access. The Council strongly condemns the continued systematic,
widespread and gross violations and abuses of human rights and
violations of international humanitarian law by all parties,
particularly by the Syrian regime. This must end and those responsible
must be held accountable. The Council condemns the use of starvation of
civilians as a method of warfare through the besieging of populated
areas, as well as the forced displacement of populations, both of which
may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. The EU will
continue to consider further restrictive measures against Syria as long
as the repression continues. The EU recalls that there can be no lasting
peace in Syria under the current regime.
3. The
Council recalls that the conflict in Syria affects directly the EU and
agrees on the need for the EU to develop a specific strategic framework
for its approach to Syria as a country specific part of the EU Regional
Strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the Da'esh threat adopted in
March 2015. It therefore welcomes the Joint Communication by the High
Representative and the Commission, and endorses the objectives as set
out below. Together with these Conclusions, this forms the EU Strategy
for Syria. The EU's strategic objectives in Syria are focussed in six
key areas:
a) An
end to the war through a genuine political transition, in line with
UNSCR 2254, negotiated by the parties to the conflict under the auspices
of the UN Special Envoy for Syria and with the support of key
international and regional actors.
The
EU firmly believes that there can be no military solution to the
conflict and is committed to the unity, sovereignty, territorial
integrity and independence of the Syrian State. Only a credible
political solution, as defined in UNSCR 2254 and the 2012 Geneva
Communiqué will ensure the stability of Syria and enable a decisive
defeat of Da'esh and other UN-designated terrorist groups in Syria. The
EU continues to supports the efforts of the Global Coalition to counter
Da'esh in Syria and Iraq.
The
EU strongly supports the work of the UN Special Envoy and the
resumption of the talks in Geneva. Reaffirming the primacy of the UN-led
Geneva process, the EU will continue to provide political support to it
through the High Representative's regional initative which is fostering
political dialogue with key actors from the region in order to identify
common ground in the framework of the mandate given by the December
European Council. The Council agrees to increase EU efforts to ensure
both the full and effective participation of women and sustained
consultation and dialogue with civil society in the political process.
Progress
in Geneva will depend on efforts to reduce violence and build
confidence on the ground. In this context, the Council recognises the
contribution made to re-establish a full cessation of hostilities and
notes the establishment of the trilateral mechanism in the Astana
meetings to observe and ensure full compliance with the ceasefire. It
expresses serious concern at the continuing violence by terrorists, and
from military actions against civilian and non-terrorist targets,
including by the regime and its allies. The Council urges all sides to
respect the ceasefire and calls on Russia, Turkey and Iran, to live up
to their commitments as the guarantors, to ensure its full
implementation. Further meetings in this context should achieve progress
in securing full unhindered country-wide humanitarian access, the
lifting of sieges and the release of all aribtrarily detained persons,
especially women and children, in line with UNSCR 2268.
b) Promote
a meaningful and inclusive transition in Syria, in line with UN
Security Council Resolution 2254 and the Geneva Communiqué, through
support for the strengthening of the political opposition.
The
EU will continue to support the Syrian opposition and in particular the
High Negotiations Committee (HNC) as the opposition delegation in the
UN-brokered talks in Geneva. The EU will support the HNC's development
of its vision of transition as well as the efforts it has made to
consolidate the negotiating platform for the Syrian opposition.
The
Council encourages the Syrian parties to engage constructively and
without preconditions on the agenda set out by the UN Special Envoy and
welcomes the positive approach adopted by the HNC, both in agreeing a
more inclusive delegation and in setting out moderate and pragmatic
proposals. The Council welcomed the HNC's integration of the Women's
Advisory Committee and the progressive promotion of their full and
effective participation. It urges the Syrian regime to lay out its own
plans for a genuine inclusive political transition.
The
political process must be fully inclusive to ensure that all segments
of the Syrian society are involved in shaping Syria's future unity and
reconciliation.
c) Save
lives by addressing the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable
Syrians across the country in a timely, effective, efficient and
principled manner.
The
EU expresses its continued grave concern at the deliberate restrictions
that are put in the way of the provision of humanitarian aid and
reiterates its call for full unhindered safe sustainable country-wide
humanitarian access for the UN and other humanitarian organisations.
Humanitarian access is not a confidence building measure but an
obligation.
As
the biggest funder of humanitarian efforts inside Syria, the EU will
continue intensive humanitarian diplomacy and seek ways to improve
access and protection as well as to promote humanitarian principles. The
EU will continue to work to achieve full operation of the humanitarian
exemptions and authorisations in its restrictive measures against Syria.
The EU will also continue to support assistance to mine victims and
mine risk education.
d) Promote democracy, human rights and freedom of speech by strengthening Syrian civil society organisations.
The
EU will continue to provide substantive support to Syrian civil society
organisations, including to the work of the Civil Society Support Room
and the Women's Advisory Board. Civil Society will need to play a
prominent role in post-conflict Syria, and in helping the process of
reconciliation. The Council agreed to increase EU efforts to promote
free speech, including through supporting free and independent media.
e) Promote accountability for war crimes with a view to facilitating a national reconciliation process and transitional justice.
The
EU will continue to work to help ensure accountability for war crimes,
human rights violations and abuses and violations of international
humanitarian law, including the confirmed use of chemical weapons. The
EU deplores in the strongest terms the systematic violations perpetrated
in Syria, as documented by the UN established Independent International
Commission of Inquiry, including the detailed survey on crimes
committed last year in Aleppo. The Council supports the Commission of
Inquiry's recommendations. The Council agrees to continue to gather
information in view of future legal actions, including at the
International Criminal Court, against all those responsible for breaches
of international law. In this context, the Council expresses support to
the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism established for
this purpose by the UN General Assembly and stresses the importance of
providing sufficient resources for it to continue its vital work. The EU
supports all efforts for national reconciliation and will continue to
call for transitional justice.
The
Council also condemns the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime
and Da'esh confirmed in the reports of the UN-OPCW Joint Investigative
Mechanism, recalling its decision in March to adopt additional
restrictive measures on individuals responsible. The Council supports
all efforts in the identification of disappeared persons.
f) Support the resilience of the Syrian population and Syrian society.
The
EU will continue to provide resilience support through the provision of
education, job creation, support for local civilian governance
structures in opposition held areas, including by working with the
Syrian Interim Government, and work to avoid the collapse of the state
administration. The EU will seek to increase assistance, combining
cross-border assistance with support from inside Syria and will aim at
delivering aid as part of a larger effort to address the needs of the
population all across Syria, to prevent violent extremism and
sectarianism and to build local resilience. The EU will not engage in
early recovery/stabilisation efforts that could support social and
demographic engineering.
4. The
EU reiterates that it will be ready to assist in the reconstruction of
Syria only when a comprehensive, genuine and inclusive political
transition, negotiated by the Syrian parties in the conflict on the
basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015) and the 2012 Geneva
Communiqué, is firmly under way. At that point, the Council will examine
possible post-conflict assistance as detailed in the Joint
Communication. In this context, the EU could review the current
restrictive measures, engage in resuming co-operation with the
transitional authorities, mobilise funds in support of post-war recovery
and reconstruction, including cultural heritage, and use the
appropriate tools under the EU Neighbourhood Policy and other programmes
to tackle transitional challenges and stabilise communities through
economic development. The EU is actively supporting the UN in its
coordination of post-agreement civilian stabilisation planning and will
work with the UN, International Financial Institutions and other donors.
Special responsibility for the costs of reconstruction should also be
taken by those who have fuelled the conflict.
5. The
EU is conscious of the effects the Syrian conflict has on neighbouring
states, and confirms its commitment to provide support to Jordan,
Lebanon and Turkey, as well as Iraq and Egypt, who have demonstrated
their commitment and resilience in hosting millions of Syrian refugees
over the past few years. The Council commends these efforts and agrees
on the need to maintain this support through the implementation of the
EU-Jordan and EU-Lebanon Compacts and the EU-Turkey Statement as
contributions towards reaching the respective London commitments for
these countries.
6. The
Council looks forward to the hosting of the Brussels Conference on
"Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region" on 4-5 April 2017,
following up the London conference of February 2016, the Kuwait pledging
conferences of 2013-15, the Berlin and Helsinki Conferences of 2014 and
2017. The Conference will strengthen international support for the
UN-led political process and will raise funding to meet the needs
outlined in the UN-coordinated appeals as well as supporting the
resilience of refugee-hosting countries. It notes that the EU Strategy
serves as policy guidelines for the EU approach at the Conference.
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