Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders says Assad responsible for huge migrant influx into Europe, suggests he be tried at international court for mass killings
Bert Koenders, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, said on Friday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should be tried in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Following a meeting Friday with his Czech counterpart, Lubomir Zauralek, in Prague, Koenders accused Assad of killing thousands of his own people and stated peace in Syria would be impossible without the Syrian President's resignation.
The Netherlands took over the rotating EU presidency in January.
Koenders added that latest situation in Syria showed that the international community has abandoned Syrians and is not cooperating with them.
He also accused the international community of failing to find a solution to stop refugee casualties and called for creating a framework “within which the actors themselves come up with solutions."
“Anyone who has so much blood on his hands, must answer in front of a judge. With Assad in power, there is no chance for peace in Syria. I know exactly who is responsible for the large migration flows at the moment and he is none other than al-Assad," he said.
He suggested that regional actors like Saudi Arabia and Iran should be pressured for negotiating issues, saying the international community can reach a deal on the issue if they show their positive approach, giving examples of climate agreement in Paris and the deal on Iran's nuclear program.
He emphasized talks to solve the Syrian crisis and said Russia must help the international community.
“But it is an illusion to think that by maintaining dictators we will get more stability and fewer refugees. The key question for Europe is whether we want to export stability, or import instability." He stressed “genuine partnership" between the EU and countries that are sheltering millions of refugees.
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