Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna on Tuesday said the EU should be at the forefront of actions to drive “stability and prosperity” in Syria, while she stressed Cyprus was ready to carry out migrant returns amid concerns over Syria’s instability.

“We need to remember that Syria and Cyprus are neighboring countries, only 70 miles apart and in this regard the EU and Syria share a border. The security and stability of Syria directly impacts the European Union” she underlined.

Raouna said that the developments in Syria are “concerning and volatile” as the fall of the Assad regime “presents a brief window in order to create a track for an open, transparent and inclusive transition of power in Syria.”

“We need to uphold and safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Syria” she added.

Asked to comment on decisions by member states to start discussing the return of Syrian refugees while the situation is still not stabilised, the deputy minister said that after the hope that has been created with the fall of the Assad regime, “it is a fact that in European countries, in Cyprus as well, a number of Syrian applicants of asylum or people that have been granted protection, wish to go back.”

“Our position is that where the returns are voluntary and dignified, we stand ready to support those that want to return, but at the same time, we need to work as the European Union in ensuring conditions of stability and peace in Syria.”

She welcomed the fact that the upcoming European Council includes Syria and migration, highlighting the two issues are interrelated.
On the role that the EU should play in Syria, she stressed that “now is the time for the European Union not merely to react but to act on Syria” and that the EU “needs to be a driving force when it comes to the stability and prosperity” of the country.

“We need to be at the forefront of reconstruction, of humanitarian aid in line with the established conditionalities” she said, adding that in this regard Cyprus, together with Austria and Greece, has submitted a concept paper with concrete proposals on the EU’s involvement in Syria.

Responding to a question on the position of several member states that ask for the removal of Russian bases in Syria as a precondition for supporting reconstruction, Raouna repeated that “we have a very short window to act in order to ensure an open, inclusive and transparent transition to power.”

“The territorial integrity, the independence, and the sovereignty of Syria are of utmost importance. In this regard, the European Union needs to stand against foreign interference and fragmentation in Syria” she added.

Raouna stressed that the EU “needs to be at the forefront when it comes to reconstruction and delivery of humanitarian assistance, and this needs to be in line with established conditionality with regards to sanctions”, pointing out that “this is an issue that’s with the UN.”

Regarding EU – UK relations, Rouna said that the UK “is an important and crucial ally, particularly in the context of security, threats and challenges that we face.”

She expressed a commitment, “also in light of our upcoming presidency, to work on a robust and wide-ranging partnership with the United Kingdom”, underlining that “the implementation of existing agreements is of vital importance.”

On conclusions on enlargement, Raouna said that earlier on Tuesday she participated in the intergovernmental conference with Albania, and on Monday at the intergovernmental conference with Montenegro.

“This proves that enlargement is a dynamic process. It’s a geopolitical necessity, and when our partners deliver, so do we. What is key is that this is a merit-based process anchored on strict and fair conditionality” she stressed.