EU leaders welcome pledges made at Kuwait donors'' conf on Syria 

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Leaders of the 27-member European Union Friday pledged the EU's commitment to continue to provide
humanitarian aid and other civilian support to the Syrian population.

"In this context and in light of the humanitarian emergency situation, the European Council ( the EU summit) welcomes the significant pledges made at the Kuwait donor conference, encourages Member States and the Commission to further increase their respective contributions and calls on all parties to the conflict to facilitate humanitarian access," said the EU leaders in their conclusions released after a 2-day summit in Brussels, late on Friday this evening.

The statement expressed EU support "for the Syrian population's aspirations and for the Syrian National Coalition as legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, "and stressed "the need for a political transition towards a future without Assad and his illegitimate regime." They called on EU foreign ministers "to work on all options to support and help the opposition and to enable greater support for the protection of civilians. " The ministers will assess and review, if necessary, the sanctions regime on Syria at their next meeting before March.

The EU reiterated its support for the efforts of Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi to achieve a political solution in Syria.