Hoge Vertegenwoordiger Ashton blij met benoeming Lakhdar Brahimi als VN-gezant voor Syrië (en)

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 18 August 2012 A

Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton i on the appointment of Mr Lakhdar Brahimi as UN-LAS Joint Special Representative for Syria

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission issued the following statement today:

"I welcome the appointment of Mr Lakhdar Brahimi as the United Nations - League of Arab States Joint Special Representative for Syria.

Mr Brahimi is an experienced diplomat with a deep understanding of the region. He is certainly the right person to continue the work of the UN and the League of Arab States in the search for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. The EU will provide him with its full support in this immensely challenging task.

The prerequisite for any political process to work is full support by the UN Security Council and agreement by all parties to give diplomacy another chance. I call on the international community and in particular the UN Security Council to provide the Joint Special Representative with its strong and unified support.

Further militarisation of the conflict by any of the parties can only bring greater suffering to Syria, its citizens, and the region as a whole.

The EU remains committed to pursuing a Syrian-led political transition that would meet the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people. "