EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Forum, Legislation, Society

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Saturday, 20.04.2024, 01:36

Estonian PM: Syrian war affects security of whole Europe

BC, Tallinn, 05.02.2016.Print version
What is happening in Syria directly influences the security environment of Europe and Estonia, Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said speaking at the Syrian donors' conference in London on February 4th, informs LETA/BNS.

Photo: valitsus.ee

"Only the international public can together end the Syrian civil war, which has made millions of people flee their homes, and help people who have suffered because of the war, whether they are in Syria or Jordan, in Turkey or Lebanon or have moved on to Europe," Roivas was quoted by spokespeople as saying.

 

"What is happening in Syria directly influences the security environment of Europe and Estonia, including through the migration topic," Roivas said, adding that by supporting Syrians in their home country and neighboring countries we reduce the necessity of millions of people to take on the dangerous journey abroad. He stressed that it does not matter whether a person is from London, Tallinn or Aleppo – each human life is valuable no matter the nationality or ethnicity.

 

According to Roivas, what is needed is a strategy that covers the whole region so that refugees could return to their daily lives. This means access to education for refugee children, healthcare and providing possibilities to work for the grownups.

 

A lasting solution to the refugee crisis is possible only if a solution is found for the Syrian civil war with support from the international community, Roivas said.

 

He affirmed that Estonia will keep providing development aid for Syria in a notable amount for us.

 

The global community should provide more assistance to the war-struck Syria, however, it is unclear whether Lithuania will join the efforts, says Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius.

 

"Without doubt, there will never be too much money. The need is far bigger than the actual potential," Linkevicius told BNS Lithuania in a telephone interview from London on Thursday.

 

Nevertheless, he said he could not "make a promise" that Lithuania would increase its humanitarian aid to Syria due to "limited budgets."

 

Last year, Lithuania earmarked 250,000 euros worth of humanitarian assistance to Syria. In 2016, the Foreign Ministry has already transferred 70,000 euros to a number of support funds.

 

On Thursday, Linkevicius is attending a high-level international donor conference, Support to Syria and the Region, where officials of more than 70 states, the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) and other international organizations and the non-governmental sector are discussing joint actions of the international community to solve the humanitarian crisis caused by the Syria conflict.

 

In the minister's words, the conference highlighted three key aspects of humanitarian aid, namely, care for war refugees, assistance to countries of the Middle East coping with the biggest refugee burden and help to children affected by war.

 

Since 2011, the armed conflict in Syria has claimed more than 260,000 lives, leaving 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. About 6.5 million people have been displaced in Syria, in addition to 4.6 million living in neighboring countries to flee the war.






Search site