Al-Jaafari: Idleb Will Inevitably and Very Soon Return to Sovereignty of Syrian State

NEW YORK– Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, said that Syria will not accept any idea which would be an intervention in its internal affairs, noting that the Constitution and relevant issues are a Syrian affair that is decided by the Syrians themselves.

Al-Jaafari, at a UN Security Council’s session on the status in the Middle East, added that Syria is ready to positively respond to all initiatives that may help the Syrians end the crisis only if these initiatives maintain national principles which provide for preserving Syria’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and the unity of its people and that the Syrian people alone have the right to determine the future of their country without any foreign intervention, according to SANA.

He went on to say that the Syrian government was positive and open during its participation in Geneva talks, Astana track and the Intra-Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, meanwhile other sides attempted to prevent any future progress, refused to dialogue and bet on terrorism and foreign intervention.SANA said.

Al-Jaafari added that Syria has dealt positively with the outcomes of Sochi Congress, particularly in terms of forming a committee to discuss current Constitution and presented a practical and integrated vision on how to form this committee and identify its mandate and work mechanism, furthermore, it submitted its list of delegates who will take part in the constitutional committee.

He renewed Syria’s readiness to cooperate with friendly states to help the committee start its mission.

“Proceeding from its keenness not to shed blood, Syria has welcomed the Sochi agreement on Idleb signed on the 17th of September which came as a result of intensive consultations and coordination between Syria and Russia and expressed its hope that the agreement will be successfully implemented, especially those terms related to the Turkish regime and its commitment to fulfill its obligations as provided in the agreement, he said.

“Idleb, as any Syrian territory, will inevitably return and very soon to the sovereignty of the Syrian state,” added al-Jaafari, wondering if the UNSC member states know that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization refused compliance with Sochi agreement on Idleb or do they know about disputes among Jabhat al-Nusra leaders as some of them want to continue the blood shedding?

He noted that any political blocs or military alliances formed without requesting the Syrian government to be part of are suspected and do not serve the interests of Syrian people, rather they defy the Syrian state and encourage to support terrorism under political cover-up, adding that such formations will not help make any progress in the political process.

Al-Jaafari said that there are US, British, French and Turkish troops whose presence on the Syrian territory are illegitimate and they are engaged in the so-called “Mini Group on Syria”, asking how will these states help Syria, meanwhile they are occupying part of its territories?

He called on the UN Security Council to take a clear stance and reject the presence of foreign troops; moreover, the UNSC should call for halting all kinds of support, sponsorship and funds for terrorism.

Al-Jaafari said the illegal International Coalition committed a new crime against the Syrians by bombing Hajin city in Deir Ezzor province with internationally-banned white phosphorous, causing the martyrdom and injury of scores.

“The International Coalition is fighting everything in Syria except for terrorism. Its practices prove that its goals and those of terrorist organizations are one and the same: spreading chaos, death and destruction, not to mention its continued support for ISIS terrorist organization,” he said.

The UN Security Council, he added, is called on to conduct a prompt investigation into the Coalition’s crimes, to act to prevent their recurrence and to end the hostile illegal presence of the US and other foreign troops on the Syrian territory, indicating that the countries backing terrorism are used to taking advantage of UN platforms every time the Syrian army makes an advance against terrorist organizations in an attempt to exercise political pressure and blackmail against Syria to hinder it.

“The countries backing terrorism in Syria have created an illegitimate grouping called ‘The Mini-Group on Syria’ to impede the outcomes of Astana and Sochi and obstruct the political process,” al-Jaafari added.

Al-Jaafari said Syria does not acknowledge any roadmap in which it is not involved, adding that the “UN should not be part of any hostile political groupings.”

“How can the ‘Mini Group’ entity-which have onboard member countries that financed, trained and sponsored terrorism in Syria and others which engaged in a direct aggression against it-be feigning care for the lives of the Syrian people?”, al-Jaafari said.