EU welcomes roadmap to solve crisis in Syria's Suwayda

LONDON

The EU on Thursday welcomed a roadmap agreed on by Syria, Jordan and the US to resolve the crisis in Syria's Suwayda province.

"The EU welcomes the roadmap announced by Syria, Jordan and the United States to address the crisis in the governorate of Suwayda," an EU spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said the bloc encourages the "swift implementation of the agreement" and continued dialogue among all parties, in view of reaching a sustainable solution that protects all Syrians without distinction and preserves Syria’s security, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The EU continues to call on the transitional authorities to ensure an inclusive political transition that fulfills the aspirations of all Syrians," read the statement.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced a seven-step roadmap on Tuesday to resolve the crisis in Suwayda following talks in Damascus with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack.

Addressing a news conference, al-Shaibani said the plan seeks to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian and medical aid to Suwayda, restore essential services to enable a return to normal life, and deploy local security forces to secure roads and facilitate movement.

It also aims to compensate those affected and allow the return of displaced persons, clarify the fate of the missing, launch a reconciliation process that includes all communities in the province and hold accountable “all those whose hands are stained with assaults on civilians and their property,” he added.

Suwayda has observed a ceasefire since July 19, following a week of armed clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes and Israeli military attacks.