Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE Leader today issued a stark warning to the EU following the weak statement by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton on the situation in Syria.  Following her remarks that the idea of creating humanitarian corridors  "has been dropped", Verhofstadt stated if the EU stands idly by - Homs will become the new Srebrenica.

Verhofstadt continued " I am astounded that despite being faced with the same humanitarian disaster as when Gaddafi's troops were at Benghazi's door  -  we cannot count on the European Union to take its responsibilities toward the innocent Syrian population and support them by calling for  a UN backed  no fly zone or at the very least the creation of  humanitarian corridors. If the EU cannot take the decision to act together, then individual Member States in close cooperation with Turkey and the Arab League must then act alone as we did with Benghazi and Libya."

Louis Michel (MR, Belgium) " We need to create a buffer zone at the Turkish border and humanitarian corridors linking Homs to Turkey, the Mediterranean Sea to Homs and Dara'a to Jordan. As for the city of Homs, a bastion of protest particularly targeted by the military government of Bashar al Assad, we must urgently provide humanitarian aid, including blankets, medicines and baby milk powder."

Marietje Schaake (D66, Netherlands)  "The EU should coordinate with Turkey and the Arab League how to provide emergency access to information and communication technologies.   The regime has now also cut off all access to the internet and communications technologies, putting the citizens of Homs in the dark and complete isolation. The acts of violence by al-Assad's troops should not remain undocumented, over 30.000 videos uploaded from inside Syria showing the regime's brutality are the main source of information and evidence of the crimes committed".

For more information please contact:

Corlett Neil - Tel:+32 2 284 20 77 Mob:+32 478 78 22 84

Crosse Edel - Tel:+32 2 284 31 28 Mob:+32 498 16 17 80

Web: http://www.adle.eu