In a joint article, Bloomond: 14 European foreign ministers appeal to Russia to reduce the escalation in Idlib

In an article in the French newspaper Le Monde, the foreign ministers of 14 European Union member states appealed to Russia to continue negotiations with Turkey to reach a reduction of escalation in Idlib.

The ministers said that Idlib was witnessing the worst humanitarian catastrophe among many disasters in the Syrian war, and they urged Russia not to block any new attempt at the Security Council for humanitarian aid to reach Idlib.

They pointed out that the Damascus regime continues the strategy of military restoration of the country, whatever it costs, hitting the wall with the dire consequences for this on civilians. The ministers said:

Since December 2019, the regime's operations in the northwest of Syria have intensified, with the support of Russia, especially its flight, and the continuous air strikes and dropping barrel bombs in a few weeks have displaced nearly a million Syrians and made them wander in the roads, accumulating hundreds of Thousands of people - most of them women and children - are in makeshift camps, in the midst of cold, hunger and epidemics.

In a blatant challenge to international humanitarian law, the bombings deliberately targeted hospitals and health centers, forcing 79 of them to stop working, as did schools and shelters.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 298 civilians have been killed in Idlib since January 1.

He warned the ministers that they are well aware that there are "extremist groups in Idlib" and that they take the problem of terrorism very seriously, saying: "We are fighting it resolutely and firmly, and we are at the forefront of the frontline of the struggle against the Islamic State, but the war on terrorism cannot justify The grave breaches of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing every day in northwestern Syria, "they said.

The ministers added: The United Nations has warned of the risk of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the event of the ongoing attack on Idlib, and we call on the Syrian regime and its supporters - especially the Russians - to end this attack and return to the agreed ceasefire arrangements in the fall of 2018. And we We call on them to end hostilities immediately and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular the protection of humanitarian and medical workers, who are paying their lives in redemption for the civilian population.

We also call on Russia to continue negotiations with Turkey, in order to ensure a reduction in the escalation in Idlib and contribute to a political solution.

In addition to the urgent truce, we call on Russia not to stand up to the United Nations Security Council in the coming months, when it is time to renew the mechanism that allows passage to the northwest of Syria to deliver humanitarian aid across the border to those who need it most, this mechanism has closed it Russia is already in northeastern Syria, where we must now find alternatives to the Yarubia crossing, and who can imagine today that the Syrian regime will allow aid to reach those who need it, as this system is the same system primarily responsible for their situation.

The political solution
Finally, let us mention that the Syrian crisis can only be resolved in the long run through a political and negotiated solution, and political normalization cannot take place until a real and irreversible political process is launched.

But at the heart of its military strategy, the regime specifically seeks to block any comprehensive political process, by blocking all constitutional discussions to be held in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations special envoy, Geert Pedersen.

However, the regime’s current efforts to restore the territories are a hoax, and the same reasons will have only the same results: extremism, instability in Syria and the entire region, and people fleeing into exile in a country where more than half of its population is displaced or refugees.

We applaud the great efforts made by Syria's neighbors to provide shelter for Syrians who have been forced to leave their homes. In the face of the ongoing tragedy, the Europeans also bear responsibility. From a humanitarian perspective, the European Union and its member states are the main donors to support the Syrian people, and we will support and develop these collective efforts to confront the current crisis in Idlib.

Europe continues to exert pressure on the Syrian regime until it truly participates in the political process. On February 17, the Europeans adopted new sanctions targeting Syrian businessmen, fueling the regime’s war effort and reaping profits from it.

Fight impunity
The ministers affirmed that our responsibility is also to fight impunity for crimes committed in Syria, it is a matter of principle and justice, as well as that is a necessary condition for lasting peace in a Syrian society torn by nearly ten years of conflict.

We intend to continue to support the mechanisms adopted by the United Nations to combat impunity, whose work to collect evidence is necessary to prepare future trials against those responsible for the most serious crimes: the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria and the independent and impartial international investigation mechanism.

We will continue to work to refer the accused to the International Criminal Court, and we will maintain our commitment, especially within our national jurisdictions, so that crimes committed in Syria do not go unpunished. This specifically includes the use of chemical weapons and violations of the most basic standards of international law, and we will ensure that accountability and accountability are established, and the fate of many detainees and missing persons must be highlighted.

Signed European foreign ministers:

Stefanos Block (Netherlands), Simon Kovinni (Ireland), Jacek Chabotovic (Poland), Luigi de Mayo (Italy), Philip Jovin (Belgium), Arancha Gonzalez Laia (Spain), Becca Hafisto (Finland), Jeppe Kofod (Denmark), Jean-Yves Ludryan (France), Ann Linde (Sweden), Linas Linkvicius (Lithuania), Heiko Maas (Germany), Urmas Rinslow (Estonia); Augusto Ernesto Santos Silva (Portugal).