Cyprus calls for ‘swift de-escalation’ of violence in Syria
Source: Cyprus Mail
Cyprus’ foreign ministry on Saturday called for a “swift de-escalation” after violence erupted in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia between Alawites loyal to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad and the country’s new interim government.
The ministry said it is “very concerned by alarming reports of numerous violent clashes with civilian casualties”.
“Ensuring a peaceful and inclusive political transition process is essential,” it added, saying, “calm, restraint, and stability are now imperative”.
The British-based Syrian observatory for human rights reported that more than 180 people had been killed in two days of violence since attacks began on Thursday.
On Saturday, Syria’s Sana news agency reported that “remnants of the fallen regime have launched an attack on the national hospital in Latakia and public security forces are countering it”.
Meanwhile, state television reported that clashes had also broken out near the city’s Ibn Sina hospital, while the country’s health ministry said attacks had resulted in civilian casualties in both Latakia and the city of Tartus, which is located 80 kilometres south of Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coastline.
Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria fell in December last year, with Assad himself fleeing to Russia as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group swiftly took over the country’s major cities.
The group’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was named as the country’s transitional president and has remained in post since then.
Last month, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos visited Damascus to meet both al-Sharaa and his Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
“The purpose of this visit was to express the Republic of Cyprus’ will to assist with a positive agenda, in a positive perspective for Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, both at a bilateral level and within the European Union,” he said at the time.
He added, “the relations are deep, historic, and our purpose is to see how we can assist in Syria’s transition back to the international community, as a full member, with the expected and required legitimacy.
“This, of course, presupposes that the basic principles of good neighbourliness, respect for territorial integrity, and the sovereignty of states exist.”
Strong ties between the new Syrian government and Turkey had earlier fuelled fears in Greek and Greek Cypriot circles that the two countries may delineate their exclusive economic zones (EEZ) without consulting Cyprus and thus encroach on the Republic of Cyprus’ claim.
The fears arose after Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu made reference to such plans in mid-December, though he walked his statements back on Christmas Eve, saying any such agreement would “take into account international law”.
The original article: belongs to Cyprus Mail .
