Syria, EU: ‘Support for transition but concerned about wave of violence’

Brussels, 8 December (LaPresse) – ‘A year ago, the fall of the Assad regime marked the end of decades of brutal dictatorship, responsible for the death, disappearance and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and the destruction of vast areas of the country, with disastrous consequences for the overall fabric of Syrian society. Its fall offered the Syrian people a historic opportunity to embark on a political, economic and social transition.’ This was stated in a note by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, and EU Commissioners Hadja Lahbib and Dubravka Suica. “In this new context, the EU has stood by Syria and its people at every stage of the difficult transition. In February, it suspended the main economic sanctions and in May it lifted them completely to support Syria’s recovery. In March, the EU hosted the 9th Brussels Conference on Syria, where it consolidated its role as the main donor and, together with its Member States, pledged €3.4 billion to address the enormous humanitarian and socio-economic needs of Syria and the region,” they added.