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EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell shares the chairmanship of the Brussels donor conference for Syria with British UN Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock.

In an interview, he explains how the money really reaches those who urgently need it - and does not end up with the ruler, Bashar al-Assad.

WELT:

You recently criticized, together with EU Commissioner Janez Lenarcic, the head of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, that the global burden-sharing of humanitarian aid is not balanced: the majority of EU member states as well as the international community would " do not make their contribution ”.

- What about the drama in Syria?

Is there such a thing as fatigue?

Josep Borrell:

As far as Syria is concerned, the Europeans can be really proud of the relief efforts that have been made so far.

The EU and its 27 member states raised almost 25 billion euros during the ten-year crisis.

That is a colossal sum, which unfortunately also corresponds to the extent of what is at stake there: twelve million Syrians who fled the war and of whom 5.6 million left their country, then the destruction of the country and the Destruction of its population, most of which was caused by the Syrian regime itself.

EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell

Source: AP

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The risks for Europe are also enormous: we are Syria's neighbors, and the wave of refugees that this war triggered has also reached us.

The threat of radicalization and terrorism also affects us directly, as does the destabilization of the entire region.

And I have to add one more point: Such brutality and the scale of the crimes committed in Syria has never been seen in the 21st century.

Our support in a wide variety of evidence-securing actions and legal proceedings is indispensable.

For all these reasons, the EU cannot afford “Syria fatigue”.

We must continue to support the Syrian people, as well as the countries and communities that are hosting the Syrians, such as Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and others in the region, as well as efforts to find a solution to this conflict under the auspices of the United Nations, under resolution 2254.

WORLD:

The EU does not want to participate in the reconstruction of the country as long as Bashar al-Assad is in control of his country, which is in ruins.

Are you not playing into the hands of the regime here by healing the wounds of destruction it has inflicted on its people - with the support of Russia and Iran, who are also attending this conference?

Borrell:

We are healing the wounds of the Syrian people, not those of the regime.

In inland Syria, we use the money primarily for humanitarian aid, and exclusively through international NGOs such as the international committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent and the United Nations.

In Syria, the issue is very complicated, but we are careful to ensure that our partners get the maximum impact from this aid, while minimizing the risk of interference.

Commissioner Lenarcic and his teams are working on it.

If we go beyond “saving lives”, then through direct aid actions in the communities so that people can then resume their economic activities, reopen their businesses and also do a little cattle breeding again.

The destruction of the war is unimaginable, as here in a small town on the Syrian-Turkish border

Source: dpa

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Every precaution is being taken to ensure that none of the conflicting parties benefit from this money: neither the Syrian regime nor the other military groups that are also involved, some of which are internationally regarded as terrorist organizations, such as the Haiʾat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib.

It is a difficult undertaking, but it is the only way to really help the Syrians.

You mentioned Russia and Iran, who support the regime but also take part in the conference in Brussels.

We can clearly see this contradiction: We have been saying for a long time that there can be no military solution in the Syrian conflict, and neither can a unilateral solution.

We therefore continue to work with all partners who can help end this crisis and put the country on the path to an interim political solution and lasting stability.

WORLD:

Turkey has taken in almost four million Syrian asylum seekers and tries again and again to send them back to their country.

At the European summit, the Commission was asked to come up with a proposal for further financial support for these refugees.

What would you suggest

Borrell:

Turkey and the EU have a significant and common interest in having the crisis in Syria resolved.

This is particularly the case in the northwest, around Idlib, where three to four million people were pushed back by the regime's offensives and often had to flee several times.

Incidentally, we are helping them from Turkey, thanks to a cross-border mechanism that enables the UN to provide support here on a daily basis.

Now, however, Russia is threatening to put an end to this mechanism ... This funding is of course very important: Turkey has taken in the largest group of refugees in the world and has offered them really remarkable conditions so far, mainly thanks to our support.

I think we will find solutions, but I also emphasize that our common interest goes far beyond funding: We are working on intensifying our exchange of views with Turkey on the entire Syria crisis, but above all on the north-west.

Translated from the French by Bettina Schneider