Syria Welcomes Every Unbiased UN Role to Solve Crisis: Al-Jaafari

ASTANA, (ST) Syria welcomes every UN role to solve the crisis in Syria based on the neutrality guaranteed by the UN Charter which always stresses respecting countries’ sovereignty, Head of the Syrian Arab Republic Delegation to Astana 7 meeting on Syria Bashar Al-Jaafari has underscored.

In a press conference following the plenary session of Astana 7 meeting on Syria, al-Jaafari stressed that “the neutrality provided in the UN Charter is basically based on respecting countries’ sovereignty which is, in turn, based on these countries’ constitutions, including the constitution of Syria which is decided only by the Syrian people”.

 UN can play key role in solutions when it enjoys independency

 He asserted that the United Nations can play key role in solutions when it enjoys need independency.

Concerning the Turkish military presence in Idleb, al-Jaafari said that this presence is an occupation and an act of aggression on Syria’s sovereignty and if the Iranian and Russian guarantors don’t deal with this presence in accordance with Astana 6 agreements, which established the de-escalation zone in Idleb and put the Turkish guarantor in front of certain pledges, the Syrian Arab Republic has the right to defend itself and its sovereignty in every possible legal way.”

Turkish forces presence in Syria is an occupation  

Al-Jaafari clarified that the thing that must be known to all is that “Astana 6” agreement between the three guarantors “provided for deploying observing forces from the Turkish police only- not the army- in certain agreed upon positions and the other two guarantors do the same. But, what happened is that the Turkish guarantor entered military forces with armored vehicles and heavy weapons into Syria.”

“This is Turkey’s major violation of the Astana 6 agreement,” said al-Jaafari, adding that Turkey also committed another violation to the agreement by cooperating with Jabhat al-Nusra, which is internationally classified as a terrorist organization that should be fought according to Astana agreement .

Syrian national Dialogue Congress to be held in Russia

Head of the Syrian Arab Republic also made it clear that the American military presence on the Syrian territory is occupation and the aggressive acts perpetrated by the so-called international coalition led by the US against the Syrian civilians and infrastructure are an act of aggression on Syria’s sovereignty.

Replying a question on the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, al-Jaafari said “the congress is the fruit of constant Syrian-Russian dialogue and coordination and given the deteriorating situation of the terrorists in Syria, we believe that the situation has become more suitable for holding such a conference.”

The congress was originally suggested to be held in Syria, but for certain considerations, relating to the fact that the armed groups don’t have their own independent decision, the congress was decided to be held in Russia.

 Astana 7 Communique Renews Guarantor States’ Commitment to Syria’s Territorial Integrity

According to the communiqué of the Astana 7 meeting on Syria which concluded on Tuesday in the Kazakh capital,countries acting as guarantors of the cessation of hostilities in Syria; Russia, Turkey and Iran, have renewed their commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity, to the continuity of fight against terrorism and to fixing the cessation of hostilities in the de-escalation zones.

The communiqué, read by Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Abdrakhmanov, stressed that political solution of the crisis in Syria is based on Security Council Resolution 2254. It affirmed the need to prepare suitable circumstances for national political dialogue within Geneva process and for the Russian initiative to launch the Syrian National Dialogue Congress.

 The communiqué noted the need to adopt procedures relating to deepening confidence and solving the files that have to do with the issue of the kidnapped and hostages. It also asserted the importance of continuously delivering humanitarian aid and ensuring safe corridors necessary for this purpose.

The guarantor countries will spare no efforts as to hold the coming round of Astana talks in December, the communiqué stressed.

Hamda Mustafa