Estonia Feels It is Essential to Start UN Supervision Mission in Syria Immediately

14.05.2012

No. 132-E

It is essential to prevent the conflict in Syria from escalating again and to start the UN supervision mission as soon as possible, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said today at the meeting of the European Union foreign ministers in Brussels.

“For Estonia it’s important that the violence in Syria end and that human rights, freedom of speech and assembly, a functioning rule of law state and other democratic principles be guaranteed,” Paet stated. “We support activities that help to achieve peaceful solutions,” he added.

Paet said that Estonia feels it is very important to start the UN supervision mission (UNSMIS) in Syria as soon as possible. The mission has a mandate to send up to 300 unarmed observers and a support team of civilian experts to Syria for three months.

“The Syrian government must demonstrate that it can adhere to its repeated promises to maintain a cease-fire and guarantee access and protection to the UN monitoring mission,” the Estonian foreign minister noted. “The government’s armed forces and the opposition forces must abstain from violence, as is stated in the UN and Arab League’s peace plan,” he explained.

Regarding the situation in Libya, Foreign Minister Paet said we hope that Libya’s leadership can achieve control over security in the country. “We feel it is essential that the Constitutional Assembly elections take place on time and in accordance with the requirements for free elections. We expect that after the elections Libya-led reforms will begin, with which the European Union is prepared to help if needed,” he said.

Paet said it is also very important to reduce the number of illegal weapons in the hands of Libyan residents.

Additional information:

Helen Ennok, press spokesperson, Estonia’s Permanent Representation to the EU
+32 474 98 16 57

SPOKESPERSON’S OFFICE
+372 637 7654

www.vm.ee