Joseph Borrell: The Assad regime has failed to engage meaningfully in the UN-led negotiations

The High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security in the European Union, Joseph Borrell, said in an interview with Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, published today, Tuesday, that the lifting of sanctions against the Assad regime and the European Union’s contribution to the reconstruction of Syria are linked to the Assad regime’s decision to change its behavior and change the way it interacts with the rest of the countries
the world.

In his speech, Borrell stressed the necessity of the Assad regime’s involvement in making clear and unambiguous decisions to end the oppression of the Syrian people, and to enter in a meaningful way in the negotiations sponsored and supervised by the United Nations, to implement UN Resolution 2254.

The European official stipulated that the Assad regime make a clear decision to change its behavior and change the way it interacts with the rest of the world, before considering lifting sanctions on it or calling for a conference to reconstruct Syria with the European Union’s contribution.

In response to a question about the “presidential elections” to be held by Bashar al-Assad, Borrell said: “If we want to see elections that contribute to settling the existing conflict, they must be held in accordance with Resolution 2254, and in light of the current conflict conditions, and since the Assad regime
It has failed to engage meaningfully in the negotiations led by the United Nations.
He added, “These presidential elections cannot result in any measures that would lead to direct normalization with the regime, and accordingly, we have called on other parties in the international community, and the wider region, to avoid going into any degree of such normalization.”

The European official for his support for the invitation of the UN envoy Geir Pedersen for the cooperation of the active states for a solution in Syria, noting that it is important to “strengthen the means of dialogue between the various actors, concerned and influencing the Syrian file.”

Borrell affirmed that the Brussels’ donors ’conference for Syria would“ ensure that Syria remains at the top of the international business agenda, ”and continued:“ My primary goal is for the international community to renew its political and financial support for the Syrian people, whether from those living inside Syria or refugees abroad, in
Syria’s neighboring countries, especially Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, as well as Egypt and Iraq.

Borrell pointed out that the European economic sanctions against the Assad regime aim to avoid obstructing the flow of humanitarian aid. The Assad regime blamed the bulk of the human suffering that the Syrian people endure by deliberately denying humanitarian aid access to a number of Syrian areas “as part of its strategy during the ongoing conflict.”
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The work of the Brussels Fifth Conference on the Future of Syria and the Region was launched on Monday, which will last for two days, under the joint presidency of the European Union and the United Nations, and the Brussels conference aims to raise more than 10 billion US dollars to provide full support to the Syrians and the refugee-hosting communities.