Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Statement by Mr. Gatilov Gennadiy, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affaires of the Russian Federation, at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East

February 26, 2016


Today another important collective step has been taken towards achieving a political solution to the conflict in Syria. The Security Council, in the resolution that it has just adopted — resolution 2268 (2016) — endorsed the joint statement of the Russian Federation and the United States of America as the co-Chairs of the International Syrian Support Group on the cessation of hostilities in that country, on conditions that are part and parcel of that joint statement.

This document and the resolution that has been adopted, which Russia co-sponsored, must be implemented strictly and without any preconditions. The process of implementation itself must be monitored reliably. What is important is that the resolution was adopted at almost exactly the same moment as the cessation of hostilities is entering into force in Syria. Many armed groups in Syria have already declared that they are ready to comply with its provisions.

As was confirmed in the joint statement, the cessation of hostilities regime will not apply to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Jabhat Al-Nusra or other terrorist organizations that have been recognized as such by the Security Council. The combat against them will continue. Our position is that the longterm stabilization of Syria will be impossible without eliminatimg the terrorist threat in that country.

To achieve that goal, it is essential to put an end to efforts to use terrorists as a weapon for suspect geopolitical aims. All sources of supply to the terrorists must be shut down reliably. At the Syrian border we must prevent illegal flows, which allow criminal groups to prosper and thrive. We need to put an end to the continuing infringement of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria by external forces.

The joint actions agreed with the United States can contribute to making this a real turning point in the Syrian crisis, which has gone on for far too long. We now have a real chance to end the violence and to step up our collective combat against terrorism and improve the very serious humanitarian situation in the country. Of vital importance is the fact that we are creating new conditions for developing the political process under the auspices of the United Nations and that the main role will be played by the Syrians themselves. That process should ensure a meaningful role for the Syrians that did not leave their homeland during the many years of conflict, in particular the Kurdish population, which is one of the key elements in the counter-terrorist efforts. In other words, it should ensure a meaningful role for all the representatives of the ethnic and religious components of Syrian society.

We understand that this process will be difficult and complex given how entrenched the conflict has become and the various efforts to derail the initial progress. However, inter-Syrian negotiations must be resumed as soon as possible and we should move forward on all the remaining aspects of the agenda. In fact, the resolution we have just adopted affirms that. We hope that the United Nations will be impartial and principled in its support of this process and that Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura will play a constructive role.

At the same time, we need to be firmly committed to all provisions of resolution 2254 (2015) and the other foundational documents. We should not single out individual components of those documents in order to take advantage of the changing situation on the ground or to benefit the selfish priorities of any particular opposition group. Any measure that could derail the political process by establishing preconditions should be rejected. We should not be at the beck and call of radicals, but rather should urge them to engage in dialogue. At the same time, we must end the harmful practice of providing external support to armed groups. That has had a very negative impact on the political process and threatens the future of the cessation of hostilities.

We expect the Syrian actors, the States of the region and the entire international community to act responsibly and implement the whole range of decisions on the Syrian political solution. The cornerstone of this process should be the interests of the Syrian people. We cannot squander this historic opportunity.

Russia has consistently supported a political solution to the conflict in Syria. Through our joint efforts, we launched the Vienna process and established the International Syria Support Group. We supported some of the most important foundational decisions of the Security Council on this conflict. We believe that the groundwork laid today for constructive cooperation will be essential to success on the path towards a peaceful solution.

In a broader context, we should discuss the possibility of developing a comprehensive strategy for political stabilization and the socioeconomic rebuilding of the Middle East region and North Africa. The solution to the challenges that the region is facing must be collective. The proposals of the Russian Federation to initiate broad-based cooperation in that area remain as valid as ever.