The EU foreign affairs representative has made a surprise intervention in the Syrian peace talks while traveling from Belgium to Geneva, to demand both sides reach a political agreement and end the threat of further atrocities such as theBrussels terror attacks.
Federica Mogherini confronted the head of the Syrian government delegation, Bashar Ja’afari, and demanded he enter detailed talks on a political transition, saying it was her responsibility to bring a message from Europe that “the situation in Syria has got to stop”.
At a press conference, she said: “Both sides have to enter into a political process without delays, without games and with a spirit of reaching a conclusion.” The EU has for many years called on president Bashar al-Assad to stand aside, but Mogherini said her key priority was to urge both sides to reach an agreement that would then make it easier to attack Islamic State.
She added there was no time for excuses and the onus was on those that complained about terrorism to show what they were going to do bring about a political settlement in Syria.
The three suspected bombers in the carnage in Brussels had known links to the terror cell behind November’s attacks in Paris – several of whom had previously traveled to Syria.
The invitation to come to talk to the Syrian government in Geneva was made by the UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is struggling to persuade the Syrian government to even discuss how a political transition might work.
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