BRUSSELS - The European Union's top diplomat has written to the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey urging them to uphold a ceasefire in eastern Ghouta and allow aid into besieged areas.
Appealing to trio as the leaders of the Syrian peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called on them to "implement a genuine humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days throughout Syria." In the Feb. 26 letter seen by Reuters, Mogherini also urged Russia, Turkey and Iran to "take all necessary steps to ensure that the fighting stops, that the Syrian people are protected, and finally that urgent humanitarian access and necessary medical evacuations are taking place."
Mogherini said in the letter, which was also sent to all 28 EU foreign ministers and to the head of the United Nations, that a ceasefire would give a chance for UN-led peace talks to make progress.The European Union is due to hold an international conference on Syria in Brussels on April 24-25.