The European Union has called for early appointment of a successor to U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan to carry on his work towards a peaceful political transition in Syria.
"The Six Point Plan remains the best hope for the people of Syria, and any further militarization of the conflict by any of the parties can only bring greater suffering to Syria, its citizens, and the region as a whole," EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement issued on Friday in the wake of Annan's resignation the day before.
Expressing "deep regret" at his quitting, Ashton said she backed Annan's tireless efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. He has invested an enormous amount of time and personal dedication to his difficult and dangerous assignment, she added.
Ashton pledged EU's continued support to the efforts of the U.N. and the Arab League.
Annan's six-point plan remains the best hope for the people of Syria, she said, warning that any further militarization of the conflict by any of the parties can only bring greater suffering to Syria, its citizens, and the region as a whole.
Annan's exit makes clear how unfortunate it has been that the U.N. Security Council was unable to agree to a resolution, which would have endorsed the communique of the Action Group and so helped compliance with the six-point Plan, she noted.
"The EU remains committed to pursuing a Syrian-led political transition to the crisis that would meet the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people and bring back stability to Syria," Ashton said in the statement.
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