The foreign ministers later endorsed a statement which noted: „The EU recalls that there can be no lasting peace in Syria under the current regime.“(…)
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said he believed the changed United States position was certainly „more realistic“, as to insist that Assad must step down from the start would only result in deadlock.
„But there is one thing which cannot happen – that a dictator who committed horrible crimes in the region remains untouched,“ Gabriel said.