Sousan in the Quartet Meeting: Ending the illegal Turkish presence on Syrian territory, non-interference in Syria’s internal affairs and combating terrorism

On Apr 4, 2023

The head of the Syrian delegation, Dr. Ayman Sousan , Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, affirmed that Turkey’s official and unequivocal announcement that it will withdraw its forces from all Syrian lands, and actually start withdrawing from these lands, is “the gateway to re-establish communication between the two sides”. He stressed that restoring the situation in the Northeastern and the Northwestern parts of Syria to what it used to be requires conditions to be achieved by preserving Syria’s sovereignty and unity, the withdrawal of illegal forces, the fight against terrorism, and the re-establishment of the Syrian state’s authority over all its lands.

In a speech before the quartet meeting of the assistant foreign ministers of Syria, Russia, Iran and Turkey, which is being held in the Russian capital, Moscow, Sousan said that Syria has been subjected to an unprecedented terrorist war during the past 12 years, with full and unlimited planning and support from some Western, regional and Arab countries, where the foreign terrorists came from. Terrorists came to Syria from more than a hundred countries, according to United Nations reports. Unfortunately, those terrorists infiltrated Syria through neighboring countries.

Sousan said: “We thank the Russian and Iranian friends for their valuable assistance to Syria in confronting this terrorism, and we appreciate their supportive position for Syria throughout these years. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the fact that other countries have taken a different path, and made advantage of the situation created by this war to send their forces illegally to Syria where these forces are illegally present on the Syrian soil without any invitation or coordination with the legitimate government of Syria. This is in addition to those countries providing support to terrorist groups in Syria.”

The illegal military presence on Syrian territory violates the provisions of international law

Sousan added: The legal description of the illegal military presence on Syrian territory, whether in northeastern or northwest Syria and by whoever, is very clear, as this presence violates the provisions of international law and contravenes the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, as well as conflicts with good neighborly relations and principles regulating peaceful relations between states and with all Security Council resolutions related to Syria. Sousan pointed out that there are no international legal provisions that give the right to any state to violate the sovereignty of other states or to intervene militarily in their territories without the consent of the concerned state, under any pretext, including the allegation of fighting terrorism.

Sousan continued, “The existence of any terrorist threat practically and legally requires cooperation and coordination with the concerned country to confront terrorism. Syria has repeatedly expressed its readiness for such cooperation as long as the presence of foreign troops takes place within the framework of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,”. Sousan stressed that Syria does not look back as much as Syria looks forward, and Syria is with dialogue and building bridges of communication with all countries, even those that had negative roles during the years of the crisis, based on their national constants and based on their concern for the interests of the Syrian people and their pursuit of security and stability in this explosive region, and building the best relations with neighboring countries in a way that serves the interests of its people, and this of course includes Turkey, with which we are united by long common borders, as the earthquake incident that struck Syria and Turkey on the sixth of last February confirmed that politics cannot cancel the facts of history, geography, common interests, or the depth of interdependence between the two friendly peoples, the Syrian and Turkish.

Syria dealt positively with the efforts of the Russian and Iranian friends aimed at restoring communication between Syria and Turkey

Sousan affirmed that Syria dealt positively and openly with the efforts of Russian and Iranian friends aimed at restoring communication between Syria and Turkey. However, reaching this goal has objective conditions and requirements that must be met. There must be a real will and serious dialogue to achieve this goal. These requirements are the full commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity, and that this basic principle be applied immediately on the ground. Sousan pointed out that this principle remains without real meaning if it is not translated and embodied by starting the withdrawal of all illegal foreign forces from Syrian territory, including the Turkish forces, and not to hinder the efforts of the Syrian state to re-establish its authority over all its lands, including areas controlled by terrorists, and to stop interfering in the internal Syrian affairs and to stop providing support and protection to terrorist groups in Syria, especially in the Idlib region, which has become a reservoir and protectorate for terrorists on Syrian territory, which threatens security and stability and endangers the lives of civilians there.

Sousan said: “We have not yet seen any positive indications regarding the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria, or regarding the fight against and elimination of terrorism in northwestern Syria, especially in the Idlib region, and the re-establishment of state authority over this region. Indeed, Turkey has not even committed itself to the understandings that have been reached within the framework of Astana or with the Russian side. Sousan expressed Syria’s readiness to coordinate with the Russian and Iranian friends and with the Turkish side on the various practical aspects related to the withdrawal of the Turkish forces from the Syrian territories, including the entry of the Syrian Arab Army forces into the areas from which these forces will withdraw to ensure the completion of this operation efficiently and smoothly in order to ensure that these areas are not controlled by separatist or terrorist groups.

Fighting terrorism in all its forms is a common interest for all

Sousan considered that combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations until the final elimination of terror represents a common interest for all, whether this terrorism is represented by “ISIS” and “Jabhat al-Nusra” and the organizations and groups associated with or allied with them, or the PKK and the organizations and groups associated with it. The fight against terrorism cannot be selective. On the one hand, the fight against the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK cannot be demanded while protecting or condoning “ISIS” and “Jabhat al-Nusra” and others, especially in the de-escalation zone in Idlib. All these terrorist organizations pose a threat to Syria and other countries. All these terror organizations must be fought and eliminated in all regions, with the extension of the authority of the Syrian state over those regions.

Sousan pointed out that it is known that the wrong policies that some countries have undertaken since the beginning of the crisis with the aim of weakening the Syrian state is what led to the presence of militias and entities with a separatist tendency in northeastern Syria, which created an unstable and uncontrolled security situation in that region, both for Syria and Turkey, and therefore it is natural that addressing this emerging situation requires, first and foremost, restoring the situation in northeastern and northwestern Syria to what it was, otherwise we will remain in a vicious circle, adding: All this can only be achieved on the basis of preserving Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, including the withdrawal of all illegal forces and the re-establishment of the authority of the Syrian state on all its lands, which will open the door for coordination and joint action to confront separatist plans and entities in northeastern Syria, as well as addressing related joint security problems, including work on border control through taking joint measures to prevent smuggling and the infiltration of terrorists through the borders.

Border control between neighboring countries is a shared responsibility

Sousan explained that the responsibility for controlling borders between neighboring countries is a joint responsibility, and it is carried out with cooperation, not with unilateral, intrusive or illegal measures, and the fight against terrorism is not selective either, pointing out that within the framework of the above, it is possible to cooperate on the issue of the return of Syrian refugees from Turkey to their places of residence. This matter requires work to provide the necessary requirements and environment including the achievement of security and stability by extending state authority over its lands and preparing the necessary infrastructure and funding, and the Syrian side is ready to take the measures that fall upon it accordingly.

Sousan pointed out that all the aspects represented mainly in the issue of the Turkish withdrawal from the Syrian lands, the end of any terrorist presence in Syria, and the re-establishment of the authority of the Syrian state on these lands are aspects that are consistent with international law and with the final statements issued by the Astana meetings, and they are practical and realistic aspects and local objective requirements to restore communication between Syria and Turkey, in a way that serves the interests of the two countries and meets the aspirations of their two friendly peoples, adding: If the Turkish side is really serious about correcting the relationship with Syria and respecting its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and not interfering in its internal affairs, then I do not think that there will be difficulty in responding to what we are putting forward, which will open the door to various areas of coordination and cooperation that respond to the concerns of the two countries and achieve their mutual interests.

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