BRUSSELS: The European Union called Monday for a peaceful political transition in Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad by armed groups.
“Now more than ever, it is imperative that all stakeholders engage in an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned dialogue on all key issues to ensure an orderly, peaceful and inclusive transition,” the 27-nation bloc said in a statement.
Syrian armed groups seized the capital Damascus on Sunday after a lightning advance that sent Assad fleeing to Russia after five decades of his family’s rule. Moscow gave asylum to Assad and his family, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, said on his Telegram channel.
The EU said it was “critical to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as state institutions, and to reject all forms of extremism”.
“We urge all actors to avoid any further violence, to ensure the protection of civilians, and to uphold international law, including international humanitarian law,” the statement said.
It called for the “protection of members of all minorities, including of Christian and other non-majority confessions, as well as the safety of foreign nationals and respect of diplomatic representations in Damascus”.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen held talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II about the situation on Monday and said she would talk to other regional leaders in the coming days.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden called the fall of Assad a “fundamental act of justice” but also a “moment of risk and uncertainty,” and said armed groups are “saying the right things now” but the US would assess their actions.
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Russia requested an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss Syria, according to Dmitry Polyansky, its deputy ambassador to the UN, in a post on Telegram.
The arrival of Assad and his family in Moscow was reported by Russian agencies TASS and RIA, citing an unidentified source at the Kremlin.
The leader of Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, is poised to chart the country’s future. He said he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance.
In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the Umayyad Mosque and described Assad’s fall as “a victory to the Islamic nation.” – Agencies
