The S&D Group in the European Parliament welcomes the decision of the Arab League to impose economic sanctions on the Syrian regime, which continues to use brutal repression against its population. The Group also takes seriously the UN's report concerning gross violations of human rights and crimes against humanity committed by the Syrian military and security forces since March 2011.
 
Said Véronique De Keyser, vice-president of the S&D Group: "President al-Assad and his regime must step aside immediately to allow a democratic transition to take place in the country and the perpetrators of these crimes must be held to account.
 
"We support the EU's efforts at the United Nations – in the Security Council and the Human Rights Council in particular – to give an adequate international response to the crisis in Syria.
 
"We also urge Syrian opposition groups, both in the country and in exile, to work together to achieve freedom and democracy for all in the country".
 
The S&D Group, in this spirit, will organize a public conference on Syria on 7th December 2011 in the European Parliament in Brussels, with the participation of Syrian and European speakers.