John
Kerry, the US State Secretary, and Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister
met today in Vienna with their counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The
meeting was about the Syrian conflict and how to get it resolved, after almost
five years of civil war and unimaginable suffering.
These
four people represent countries that can play an important role in bringing
peace back to Syria. Their countries are not the only ones that matter but in
many ways they play a major role in the region and can for sure markedly
influence the course of events. It is therefore encouraging to see them around
the same table. And they should continue the consultations, even if their
interests are very distinct, as it is time to see an end to the Syrian tragedy.
I
have also noted that the EU was not part of the discussion. It should. The EU
High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, has to claim a
seat around this table. The EU´s potential role both during the peace
negotiations and the reconstruction of Syria cannot be ignored.
The
UN has also been side-lined. The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Staffan
de Mistura, has disappeared from the radar. That needs to be changed
immediately. The UN´s participation is critical for the credibility of the
Secretary-General and to augment the legitimacy of the current efforts. Here,
as in the case of the EU, there is a need to be strong and call for
recognition.
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