Qatar Reaffirms Its Commitment to Continue Supporting the International, Independent, and Impartial Mechanism in Syria

The State of Qatar has renewed its support for Syria, both the government and the people, in achieving people’s aspirations for justice, the rule of law, reconciliation, stability, and sustainable peace. It emphasized its commitment to continue supporting the international, independent, and impartial mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of individuals responsible for the most heinous crimes committed in Syria since March 2011.

In a statement delivered by Aliyah Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during a General Assembly meeting under the agenda item “Preventing Armed Conflict” regarding the report of the international mechanism in New York, Qatar praised “the responsiveness and constructive cooperation shown by the Syrian government with the international mechanism, reflecting the government’s clear commitment to justice and accountability.

This cooperation facilitates the mechanism’s ability to perform its mandated role, in addition to the practical and tangible steps taken by the Syrian government to engage and cooperate with various international and UN bodies, indicating a desire to play a positive role at all levels to ensure security, stability, and human rights.”

The statement published on the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs website today also noted the progress made by the international mechanism in implementing its strategic plan, particularly in enhancing its capacity to handle large amounts of complex information and evidence, process it, and analyze it within the framework of strategic investigation pathways, prioritizing data integrity and accuracy.

The statement welcomed the ongoing interaction with civil society and various relevant stakeholders to support preservation, collection, and analysis activities, as well as cooperation with concerned international bodies, especially the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

It also welcomed benefiting from the archives of the UN mission investigating allegations of chemical weapon use in Syria, and engaging with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry and the independent body concerned with missing persons.

Souha Suleiman