Tunis declaration on Syria

TUNIS: Here are the main points from the final declaration of the Group of Friends of the Syrian People gathering more than 60 countries on Friday in Tunis, which called for an immediate end to violence and new sanctions against Damascus.

CONDEMNATION OF PRACTICES OF THE ASSAD REGIME

The Friends' Group expressed "strong condemnation" of the Syrian regime's "ongoing, widespread and systematic human rights violations" including "the killing and persecution of peaceful protesters; and sexual violence and ill-treatment of thousands of detainees, including children."

It found "particularly reprehensible" the use by Bashar al-Assad's regime of heavy artillery and tanks "to attack residential areas of cities and towns."

The group said "the atrocities committed amount in some cases to crimes against humanity."

It underlined the need for an "immediate end to all violence" and noted the Arab League's request to the UN Security Council to form a joint Arab-UN peacekeeping force.

SANCTIONS AND STEPPING UP PRESSURE

The group "set out its determination to continue to take relevant political, diplomatic and economic measures to press the Syrian regime to stop all acts of violence." Participants "committed to take steps to apply and enforce restrictions and sanctions on the regime and its supporters as a clear message to the Syrian regime that it cannot attack civilians with impunity."

The statement called on the international community to implement travel bans on members of the regime, freeze their assets, cease the purchase of Syrian hydrocarbon products, reduce diplomatic ties and prevent arms shipments.

HUMANITARIAN AID

The group expressed its "strong concern" about the humanitarian situation in Syria, "including the lack of access to basic food, medicine and fuel" as well as "threats and acts of violence to medical staff, patients and facilities".

The Friends' Group called on the Syrian government to "allow free and unimpeded access by the UN and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs".

The group said it would deliver humanitarian supplies immediately if the regime ended the violence.

SOLVING THE CRISIS

The declaration called for a "political solution" to the crisis, backed the proposals of the Arab League and called for an end to all violence. It also demanded the release of all persons arbitrarily detained and a withdrawal of armed forces to their barracks.

SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION

The group recognised the Syrian National Council, the main opposition coalition, as "a legitimate representative of Syrians seeking peaceful democratic change."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2012