BRUSSELS

The international community must “redouble its efforts” to reach a solution to the conflict in Syria, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said Thursday. 

In a statement marking the 12th anniversary of protests leading to the Syrian civil war, Josep Borrell called on the international community to “redouble its efforts to reach a durable and comprehensive political solution for Syria.”

He said the EU continues to support the work of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen for this purpose.

Borrell called the support of the Syrian people a “priority” for the EU, which is the largest provider of international aid to the country.

The EU will host a fundraiser Monday for the victims of last month’s earthquake in northern Syria and will organize the 7th Syria donors' conference on June 15, he said.

At the same time, Borrell ruled out the normalization of relations with the Assad regime, which is responsible for the “brutal repression” of its own people.

“Huge human rights abuses and grave violations of international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict continue to be perpetrated, in particular by the Syrian regime and its allies,” he added.

The conflict has claimed over 400,000 lives, while 6.6 million Syrians left the country and another 6.8 million people live as internally displaced in the country.