EU urges Russia to halt airstrike attacks in Syria

Russia's airstrike in Syria

The European Union has called on Russia to halt its military intervention in Syria, warning that it risks prolonging the four and a half year conflict and undermining a political process to end it – despite profound disagreement on how to achieve that. Federica Mogherini, the union's foreign policy chief, called the Russian intervention a “game-changer” that has “some very worrying elements”.
For the first time, ministers also called for the protection of civilians to be an international priority. President Bashar al-Assad bore the greatest responsibility for the 250,000 dead, they said, linking “the systematic targeting of civilians by the regime” to “mass displacements and recruitment to and the flourishing of terrorist groups in Syria”.
The EU statement, which diplomats said was subject to prolonged wrangling, is likely to be used by British Labour MPs who are demanding UK and western support for a no-fly zone in Syria to protect refugees, even if Russia, as it has threatened, vetoes a UN resolution. The recent Labour party conference agreed to support safe zones so long as they are authorised under chapter 7 of the UN charter.
In recent days, a flurry of diplomatic activity has focused on the Russian airstrikes, which Moscow says are targeting Islamic State, though rebels on the ground, Nato and the US have said the strikes are in fact hitting non-jihadi anti-Assad opposition groups far more extensively. Russia's defence ministry said its planes had carried out 55 sorties in Syria in the past 24 hours and hit 53 Isis targets.
EU diplomats have admitted privately that the Russian intervention has in effect frozen efforts by the UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, as well as hopes of creating a “contact group” of key states to find a way out of the impasse.
Nato's secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said: “Russia should play a constructive role in the fight against ISIS. To support the Assad regime is not constructive. This is only prolonging the war in Syria.”
Lavrov said the Russian operation was aimed at Isis and intended to “prevent … the formation of a terrorist caliphate”. But a Saudi source warned that the Russian intervention would have “dangerous consequences”. The Saudis have signalled that they are stepping up arms supplies to anti-Assad fighters.
The Turkish prime minister said Ankara would hold talks with Russia and Iran – Assad's staunchest allies – on a political solution in Syria but would not take a stance that “legitimises the Syrian regime”. Ahmet Davutoğlu told NTV that Russian airstrikes in Idlib and Aleppo could cause a further influx of refugees.
The Russian bombing has been accompanied by a significant advance by Syrian government forces, supported by thousands of Lebanese Hezbollah fighters and hundreds of Iranian backed militiamen.
Source: News Republic