EU to spend more to help Syria refugees

The EU says it will spend more on humanitarian aid to help Syrians displaced by the country’s conflict.

UN figures say 100,000 thousand refugees have been officially registered, although the number is feared to be 10 times higher.

Catherine Ashton, the EU’s High Represenative for Foreign Affairs, said the 27 member states would contribute an additional 20 million euros to help Syrian refugees, as well as internally displaced people.

“(It) will bring the Commission total assistance in this crisis to 63 milion euros. Member states have contributed to date to 27.5 milion euros in humanitarian aid,” she said.

The EU’s foreign policy chief also urged Moscow and Beijing to take a tougher stance towards President Bashar Assad’s regime, after both vetoed a fresh UN resolution.

“We will continue to call on Russia and China to increase the pressure on the regime,” Ashton told reporters.

Earlier on Monday, EU foreign ministers agreed to enforce an arms embargo on Syria by creating a new requirement to inspect planes and ships suspected of carrying weapons to the country.

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