Strong focus on Syria for High Representative this week
High Representative Federica Mogherini i will focus strongly this week on international work to solve the crisis in Syria and Iraq and the fight against Da’esh.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, she will be in Rome to take part in the third ministerial meeting of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to counter Da'esh. The meeting will provide an opportunity for Global Coalition partners to assess recent developments, in particular in Sinjar and Ramadi in Iraq, and to chart the course for the Coalition's response to the challenges that lie ahead.
It will also be an opportunity for ministers to discuss the fight against Da'esh in the broader context of the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva and the upcoming London Syria Conference, in view of developing a long term response to the growth of radicalisation and terrorism through measures of de-escalation of violence inside Syria and support for Syrian refugees.
The EU i is a full coalition partner and is contributing to the Coalition's actions by non-military activities, including measures to tackle the foreign terrorist fighters issue, prevent terrorist financing, counter the terrorists' narrative, and stabilise the areas liberated from Da'esh in Iraq.
On Thursday, Mogherini will be in London for the Syria Donors’ Conference. She welcomed the fact that both opposition and government delegations are now present in Geneva to begin the next stage of the political process.
“The EU fully supports since the very beginning the UNSE Staffan de Mistura in managing a process that can only move forward if the Syrian parties themselves, with the backing of the regional and international members of the International support group, demonstrate a willingness to take the necessary steps in these talks to make political progress and bring an end to the violence. For the sake of all Syrians,” She said.
“The first priority is to alleviate the great suffering of so many people. To this end, it is essential that, in parallel with the talks, the humanitarian measures called for by the UN Security Council last month are put into effect: humanitarian access to conflict zones, the lifting of the sieges that are killing innocent men, women and children, and an end to the bombardment of civilian areas.”
Today, the High Representative attends the Informal Meeting of Ministers for Development Cooperation. On Friday and Saturday, she will chair the Informal Defence Council and the Informal Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers in the Netherlands.
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