The European Union should not be an observer or silent regarding the developments in Syria, stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos before the start of the EU Foreign Affairs Council which takes place on Monday in Brussels, also referring to the non-paper submitted by the Cyprus with the support of Austria and Greece for the next steps that the EU should take.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also underlined that there should be an open and inclusive transition of power in Syria with respect for the rights of minorities, and not a replacement of a dictatorship with a new one that will be influenced by new external actors.
Mr. Kombos said upon his arrival at the Council that the Foreign Ministers will focus on the latest developments "and the extremely unstable situation in Syria", noting that "this is an extremely dangerous development", but in which there is a "window of opportunity".
“Syria has been suffering for a long time and the Syrian people deserve much more. We call on the European Union to be more actively involved and we believe that there is a very important role for the EU," he stressed.
"Cyprus has submitted a document with specific and specific proposals for the further course", noted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, referring to a document submitted with the support of Austria and Greece.
Mr. Kombos noted that there should be "a very clear path towards an open, transparent, autonomous and inclusive transition of power with full protection of minority rights and full respect for Syria's rich diversity".
"There is no scope for replacing the despotic regime with a new one, just with new internal and external protagonists," he pointed out.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that the EU should be a "contributing force" and "be a leader in terms of development, reconstruction and humanitarian aid, under the conditions that have been established".
"And he should be a very active mediator in terms of the transition process under UN Security Council Resolution 2254," he noted.
"We are at a critical juncture and there are, as I said, opportunities, but also risks. The European Union has an interest and responsibility in the outcome. This is not the time to be silent. This is not the time to be bystanders. It is a table from which the European Union cannot be absent," he concluded.
Source: KYPE
