EP delegation to visit Jordan, Lebanon for talks on regional issues

A 5-member European Parliament delegation will visit Jordan and Lebanon from Monday till Wednesday to discuss the regional situation.
According to an EP statement, the humanitarian crisis resulting from conflicts in Iraq and Syria and the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL), the fight against terrorism and the dire situation of Syrian refugees are set to top the exchanges of the MEPs and the political leaders of Jordan and Lebanon The delegation will be led by Elmar Brok, German MEP and chair of the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee, and includes Ramona Nicole Manescu from Romania, Ana Gomes from Portugal, Afzal Khan from the UK and Marek Jurek from Poland.
Meanwhile, Afzal Khan in a separate statement said "despite the tragedy facing Syrian civilians under ISIL rule, the ruling Assad regime is responsible for far more death, displacement and destruction." Were it not for the atrocities of the Assad regime, ISIL would never have been able to take root in Syria" he said and called on the EU to "increase its pressure on the regime and help restore peace and security in the country and thus in the region."