EU foreign ministers, during their extraordinary meeting on Friday, called for a de-escalation in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib to avoid a full-blown armed conflict between militants and government troops
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2020) EU foreign ministers, during their extraordinary meeting on Friday, called for a de-escalation in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib to avoid a full-blown armed conflict between militants and government troops.
"The [Foreign Affairs] Council calls for an urgent de-escalation of the conflict in Syria in order to avert a slide into international military confrontation, and prevent further suffering," the statement issued after the meeting read.
The European Union is working with the United Nations, the United States and NATO to build an "international consensus" around a de-escalation and a lasting ceasefire in the region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed at a marathon meeting in Moscow on Thursday to implement a ceasefire in Idlib, starting at midnight.
The 27 EU diplomats welcomed the outcome of the summit. The Foreign Affairs Council urged all parties to maintain the truce to guarantee protection of civilians after fighting in the region pushed thousands toward the Turkish border.
