At the request of Foreign Minister Westerwelle, the Federal Foreign Office has established an interministerial Syria Task Force to ensure the coordination of all German Government measures relating to Syria.

Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle issued the following statement:

   The situation in Syria continues to escalate. The Assad regime has lost control of parts of the country and an ever greater number of people are falling victim to the brutal fighting.

   We must step up our humanitarian assistance for those in need in Syria. At the same time, we must continue our efforts to help initiate a political process even after the resignation of Kofi Annan. We urge the opposition to quickly find greater unity.

   The Syria Task Force has been established to coordinate the German Government’s wide‑ranging tasks to a greater extent.