Statement by Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Dmitry Polyanskiy at a UNSC Briefing on Syria
Mr. President,
We thank Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen and USG for Humanitarian Affairs Thomas Fletcher for their detailed briefings on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR).
We have been closely following the situation in friendly Syria, sincerely sympathizing with the Syrian people, who have endured so many challenges. Our relations do not depend on the political context, they are rooted in time-tested traditions of friendship and mutual respect, which was confirmed by the visit to Moscow on July 31 by Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Shaibani.
Unfortunately, the situation in Syria remains far from stable. The country continues to confront challenges in virtually all areas, from difficulties in establishing a new system of government to a severe socio-economic and humanitarian crisis. We stand convinced that in order to overcome these challenges it is imperative, first and foremost, to unite Syrian society and ensure national reconciliation. Without exaggeration, this is something that determines the future of Syrian statehood, which remains extremely fragile, especially in the face of ethno-confessional strife. This was clearly demonstrated by the recent tragic events in Suwayda. Along with the March massacre of Alawites on the western coast of Syria, this is an extremely disquieting incident, both in terms of the scale of violence and the number of civilian casualties. We also have significant concerns regarding the forceful methods that are used on the ground to deal with such situations. There are alarming signals coming from ethnic and religious minorities in Syria, who still feel unsafe – they fear persecution on ethnic and religious grounds, they are harassed and intimidated, and are being forced to flee en masse from their historical settlement areas. In Suwayda, for example, 200,000 people have been forced to leave. If unchanged, such developments would significantly hamper the national reconciliation and the reestablishment of social contract in Syria and could derail all efforts to that end.
Colleagues,
All cases of ethnically and religiously motivated violence require thorough and impartial investigation and the perpetrators must be held accountable. We are looking forward to the publication of the full report of the Commission of Inquiry established to investigate numerous cases of violence in western coastal regions of Syria. We hope to discuss this issue in detail within the Council. We also expect the transitional authorities in Syria to heed the call contained in the Security Council presidential statement of August 10 to conduct a credible, prompt, transparent, impartial, and comprehensive investigation into the events in Suwayda. This will facilitate strengthening Damascus's authority and building confidence among the Syrians. Impartial justice vis-à-vis all criminals and offenders, regardless of their position or status, should help restore the faith of ethno-religious minorities that the new authorities are committed to protecting the interests and security of all Syrians, not just certain groups of society.
Unfortunately, the level of terrorist threat in Syria remains high. Suffice it to recall the terrorist attack on June 22 against the Antioch Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in eastern Damascus, which claimed the lives of more than 20 Syrians and left dozens wounded – it deserves the strongest condemnation. We call on the Syrian authorities to step up their efforts to combat the terrorist threat and ensure the proper protection of Orthodox and, in general, all Christian holy sites, as well as to bring all those responsible to justice.
Mr. President,
Another extremely important task in the area of state-building facing Damascus is the establishment of robust state institutions. We note the measures taken by the transitional authorities, including the formation of a new government. However, the recent months have also evinced the urgent need for structural reform of the Syrian army and law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that they are staffed by professionals who are not tainted by killing civilians and have no links to terrorist groups. It is also important not to leave in the cold career servicemen who served their country faithfully until December 2024. Marginalizing them will only deepen the divide in Syrian society and create breeding grounds for revanchist sentiments. The example of Iraq shows that it was officers of Saddam's army, filled with vengeance against those who rejected them, who became the backbone of ISIL strike forces.
The inclusiveness of the political process, which all UNSC members are calling for, should include this aspect as well. No group should be denied their rights, including those who served the country under the previous leadership. A political process led and owned by all Syrians without exception is a fundamental principle enshrined in UNSC resolution 2254 and remains fully pertinent. We expect that the measures taken by the interim authorities will be in line with this approach and that the parliamentary elections scheduled for September will be inclusive, with all ethnic, religious, and social groups having the opportunity to participate in forming the new legislative body. What also remains pressing in this context is the issue of reintegrating the Kurds into a unified Syrian State and implementing the agreement between the central authorities and the Euphrates Region.
Finally, to achieve stabilization and pursue its domestic agenda, Syria needs to ensure its external security. Right now, this security is being undermined by Israel's ongoing occupation of the Golan Heights and airstrikes by Jerusalem against Syrian territory. We urge all States to strictly adhere to the provisions of UNSC resolution 2254 on respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria, and we call on all parties to comply with the requirements of the 1974 agreement on disengagement in the Golan Heights. The Security Council reaffirmed these principles in the aforementioned presidential statement, and also called on all States to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Syria. We hope that this appeal will be heeded.
Now let’s move on to the humanitarian issue. Unfortunately, as Tom Fletcher reiterated again today, the situation here is still complicated due to instability and cascading economic and social problems.
We urge the UN and its specialized agencies to continue their active efforts to extend assistance to the population affected by ethno-religious violence in certain regions of Syria, to restore infrastructure and ensure conditions for the safe return of civilians. We expect that the Syrian interim government, for its part, will facilitate the unimpeded work of humanitarian organizations there and ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers. We are extremely alarmed by the information provided today by Tom Fletcher regarding attacks against humanitarian workers in the country. This is totally unacceptable. We support the initiative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deploy its presence in Suwayda. This should help stabilize the situation and avoid relapses of violence. We trust that the Syrian authorities will provide the ICRC with the necessary assistance in addressing this issue.
The lifting of unilateral sanctions, which have hindered the country's development for many years, undoubtedly opens up a “window of opportunity.” This is a step in the right direction. There is no denial that unilateral sanctions have long prevented Syria from moving forward and have, in fact, harmed only the Syrian people rather than politicians. However, lasting results are only possible through comprehensive long-run-oriented measures. In our view, such measures should be accompanied not only by efforts on the part of Syria itself, but also by sufficient international assistance. We need to discuss comprehensive and long-term support aimed at restoring key areas for viable statehood. What Syria needs is not just aid, but a format for cooperation that could lay a solid foundation for the country's future development enabling the country to independently ensure a decent standard of living for its citizens.
According to UNHCR, refugees are increasingly returning to Syria, with IDPs back to their places of residence. Needless to say, this is a positive trend. At the same time, we consider it fundamentally important that this process be carried out strictly on the basis of the voluntary and informed choice of those who have decided to return, and their safety and security guarantees must be upheld. In addition, we expect that the Syrian authorities, in cooperation with specialized UN agencies, will continue their efforts to remove obstacles to the return of refugees, including those related to the lack of basic services and jobs, which, as we understand, seriously complicates the possibility for people to start a new life.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Russia is a tried and tested friend of Syria, both in the bilateral relations and in the global arena. We are happy to receive similar signals from the Syrians at this new stage in the country's development. We are grateful to our Syrian colleagues for the steps they are taking to ensure the safety and security of Russian citizens and Russian facilities in SAR. We also appreciate that Syria has not forgotten the role played by the Soviet Union in setting the groundwork for the Syrian economy, strengthening its defense capabilities, and training its national labor force. We are ready to continue providing the Syrian people with all possible assistance in post-conflict reconstruction. It is important for us that Syria, having overcome the challenges of the transition period, emerges as a strong, stable, and independent State, where all Syrians feel comfortable, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. This is precisely what both the Syrian authorities and the entire international community should now be focused on.
Thank you.
