Ambassador Ala underlines necessity of lifting unilateral coercive economic measures on Syria and exit of American and Turkish occupation forces

Syria renewed its demand for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the unilateral coercive economic measures imposed on it(which violate the UN Charter), the exit of the US and Turkish occupation forces from its lands, and the re-establishment of the authority of the Syrian state over it. 

In a statement today before the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Hossam El Din Ala, affirmed the rejection of the council’s discussions on Syria. These discussions are governed by interventionist agendas and non-consensual resolutions promoted by the United States and the European Union to provide justifications for their hostile policies that target Syria and violate the Charter of the United Nations and the foundations on which the Human Rights Council was based. 

Ambassador Ala stressed the failure to recognize the mandate of the International Commission of Inquiry of the Human Rights Council on the situation in Syria and its biased and subjective reports and statements that are based on misinformation and pre-made accusations that ignore the real causes of the crisis. 

Ambassador Ala said: “ While Syria continues its efforts to restore and consolidate security and stability, achieve economic recovery, improve the living conditions of its citizens, and facilitate the return of the displaced to their homeland and original areas, it faces the challenges of the Turkish, Israeli and American occupation of parts of its lands and its continued support for terrorist organizations and separatist militias and its sponsorship of theft and smuggling of oil, gas and wheat cross-border. It also suffers from the imposition of unilateral coercive measures aimed at depriving the Syrian people of their basic needs and rights and impede recovery efforts and return to the path of development. 

Ambassador Ala pointed to the attack claimed by the terrorist organization (ISIS) on the 20th of this month on a civilian passenger bus in Raqqa, which resulted in the death of 13 soldiers and civilians and the wounding of others, one day after dozens of its terrorists escaped from a detention center run by the SDF-backed militias. 

Ambassador Ala warned of the human rights violations against the population in the areasoccupied byTurkey in the north of the country as a result of the Turkification policy, the forced demographic change practiced by the Turkish regime. 

He also  warned that the Turkish regime’s recent threats to establish a so-called “safe zone” in northern Syria constitute an extension of its sabotage plans and aggression against Syrian land and its people. 

Ambassador Ala added that, in the context of its support to create an environment conducive to the return of the displaced and refugees, the Syrian government pays special attention to rebuilding the infrastructure destroyed by terrorists, creating new job opportunities and restoring economic and development activities. 

Ambassador Ala continued: “My country’s government continues the path of national settlements and reconciliations in the various Syrian governorates, as Presidential Decree No. 7 issued recently granted a general and comprehensive amnesty for all terrorist crimes committed before April 30, 2022, with the exception of cases that led to the death of a human being and allowed Syrians living outside the country to settle their situation and return to their homeland.”

Ambassador Ala indicated that since 2011, President Bashar al-Assad has signed twenty amnesty decrees that have benefited tens of thousands of Syrian citizens. 

At the conclusion of his statement, Ambassador Ala stressed the rejection of the accusations and fallacies promoted by the reports of the investigation committee and the statements of the countries sponsoring its mandate and their attempts to promote the establishment of new international mechanisms around Syria. 

Ambassador Ala stressed that the allegations of concern for human rights in Syria and support for the efforts of a political solution and ending the suffering of refugees require the initiative to immediately and unconditionally lift all unilateral coercive economic measures imposed on it and the exit of the American and Turkish occupation forces from all Syrian lands. They also require restoring the authority of the Syrian state over them, respecting the right of the Syrian people to determine the future of their country without external interference, and supporting efforts aimed at facilitating the return of displaced persons and refugees to their homes

Inas Abdulkareem / O. al-Mohammad