EU invites Damascus to 9th Brussels Conference on Syria

By Selen Valente Rasquinho and Ilayda Cakirtekin

BRUSSELS / ISTANBUL (AA) - European Commission on Monday said an invitation had been sent to the Syrian foreign minister for the 9th Brussels Conference on the war-torn country.

Answering questions about the latest developments in Syria during the European Commission's daily press briefing, spokesperson Anitta Hipper confirmed that “an invite was sent” to Asaad al-Shaibani for the conference on March 17.

“We are all having an interest in the stabilization of Syria. It's important that the work towards that happens, and this can only happen with an inclusive transition, because there's no alternative to that,” the spokesperson said.

Hipper said the conference would be a “very important occasion” to continue engaging with the authorities on the situation on the ground and to assess how the EU could provide the best support.

“We should spare no effort in support of a peaceful and inclusive transition away from any foreign interference which guarantees the rights of all Syrians, without distinctions,” she added.

Since 2017, the EU has been organizing donor conferences in Brussels to support Syria.

This year’s conference, Standing with Syria: Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition, will be the first since the fall of the Assad regime in December. It will also be the first conference in which the Syrian administration will be participating.