Syria, Tajani and his Austrian counterpart Schallenberg: “Europe must rethink its approach”

The situation in Syria, a country that is “still at the origin of the largest refugee crisis in the world”, has been relegated to the margins of international attention and the EU’s foreign policy agenda and this is a strategic mistake. This is what was written in an article signed by the Foreign Ministers of Italy and Austria, Antonio Tajani e alexander schallenberg, published in “Il Messaggero”. “Over 16 million people are in need of life-saving assistance, the highest number ever recorded since the conflict began. The suffering extends far beyond the immediate borders of the country”, write the two ministers, recalling that there are 13,8 million internally displaced persons and refugees. “Many are still on the move, prey to the traffickers’ highly profitable business model. We feel these effects far beyond the Middle East, including in Italy, Austria and the rest of Europe,” write Tajani and Schallenberg.

The two ministers underline how “the EU’s strategic thinking” is lagging behind on this dossier. “After thirteen years, we must admit that the EU’s approach has not kept pace with the evolving situation on the ground. Our political objectives date back to 2017 and have not been updated”, write the two heads of diplomacy, noting that “any further action, obviously, cannot and must not imply any compromise on the fundamental principles of democracy, inclusion, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms”. For this reason, Tajani and Schallenberg insist on the urgent need to “relaunch a substantial and meaningful dialogue between the current rulers of Damascus and the opposition, within the framework of the political process led by the United Nations Special Envoy (Geir) Pedersen.”

In this context, the two Foreign Ministers continue, “we believe that the time has come to rethink our approach to Syria” and “we are ready to engage in a transparent and open discussion”. For this reason, on the occasion of today’s meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Tajani and Schallenberg “together with the Foreign Ministers of Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia and Slovenia”, have “invited the High Representative Josep Borrell to review the EU strategy for Syria. “Our goal is a more realistic, proactive and effective Syria policy to increase our political influence, the effectiveness of our humanitarian assistance and to create the conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees,” we read in the letter. article signed by the two ministers, according to which it is necessary to “finally bring Syria back to the EU agenda as an absolute priority” to avoid “disastrous” consequences for the country, the region and Europe itself.