EU welcomes plans for another donors'conference on Syria in Kuwait

The European Union (EU) Monday welcomed plans for a pledging conference in the beginning of 2014 (Kuwait II) in Kuwait. "The EU will do its utmost to further increase its commitment and calls on international partners to increase humanitarian and economic support to those most affected in Syria and the neighbouring countries," said EU Foreign Ministers in a statement after discussing the situation in Syria during their meeting here todsy. "All donor countries should in accordance with the principles of burden sharing ensure the fulfilment of pledges already made," said the statement. The ministers underlined that the deteriorating spill-over effects of the Syrian conflict in the region make it all the more urgent to put an end to all violence in Syria and find a political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. They reiterated the importance of quickly convening the Geneva II Conference to this end. The EU called "on all relevant parties to halt their support to all foreign fighters active in Syria who also have destabilizing effects on neighbouring countries." The 28-member European bloc called for a swift elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal and said it will continue to support this endeavour. The EU reiterated its grave concern for the humanitarian, social, economic, political and security impact of the Syrian crisis on the entire region, especially Lebanon and Jordan. The statement expressed grave concern over the fact that 9.3 million Syrians within Syria are in dire need of external assistance. In particular, it reiterated concern for the fate of 6.5 million of internally displaced Syrians and of more than two million refugees in neighbouring countries, all in need of external assistance.