On January 26th, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Faisal Al-Miqdad, affirmed the Syrian government’s readiness to continue cooperation with the United Nations Disengagement Force in the Syrian Arab Golan, and to enable the UNDOF forces to carry out their mandate.
During his meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the accompanying delegation, Al-Miqdad indicated that the presence of peacekeeping forces is not a substitute for finding a final solution to the problem of the Israeli occupation of Syrian lands.
He expressed Syria’s inalienable right to fully recover the occupied Syrian Golan.
He renewed Syria’s condemnation of the armed terrorist groups that worked to impede the work of the peacekeeping forces in the area of separation and along the ceasefire line.
He underlined the importance of the reports issued by UNDOF, as well as the briefings of the representatives of the General Secretariat before the Security Council, highlighting the repeated Israeli violations and aggressions against Syria.
He demanded the need for the United Nations to intervene to stop Israeli practices against Syrian civilians in the occupied Golan.
In turn, Lacroix confirmed that the visit comes with the aim of acquainting himself with the work of the United Nations Disengagement Force “UNDOF” and visiting its sites, in addition to holding meetings with Syrian officials.
Lacroix indicated that the efforts of the international organization will focus on implementing Security Council resolutions related to the delicate situation in the Middle East, and he also welcomed the assistance and support provided by the Syrian state to the peacekeeping forces.
The meeting was attended by Qusai Al-Dahhak, Director of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, Brigadier General Azdashir Hourani, Head of the Armistice Delegation Office, and Major General Nirmal Kumar Thapa, Commander of the UNDOF Force.
- al-Mohammad