Seven point plan against violence in Syria

A seven point action plan drafted by MEPs Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Acting Chairwoman of the EPP Group Working Group on Foreign Affairs, and Elmar Brok, Chairman of the European Parliament's (EP) Foreign Affairs Committee, which should encourage Europe to help end the terrifying conflict in Syria, was presented today in the EP.

"As a politician, I can no langer stand to see us doing hardly anything to stop all this violence, which is getting more brutal and lethal every day", said Ria Oomen-Ruijten. The death toll is now approaching 75,000. The conflict has been dragging on for 2 years without the international community taking serious action. "Last week, the British and the French stated that they will send equipment. But when will they do so and to whom?".

The seven point plan advocates military training of moderate opposition groups. "Countries like Qatar ad Saudi-Arabia now support the more radical Islamic groups. If we want rule of law in Syria, we now have to support moderate factions." The plan calls upon the European Commission to determine who the moderate groups are.

Oomen-Ruijten and Brok also demand safe heavens for refugees in Syria itself. Such safe zones currently only exist across the border in Turkey and Lebanon.

Elmar Brok concluded: "The EU and the international community cannot stand on the sidelines."

The two prominent MEPs will deliver the plan in the coming days to the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton.