FM statement: Syria confirms commitment to its obligations under UNDOF Convention

DAMASCUS,(ST) _In two identical letters to the UN Secretary-General and President of the UN Security Council, Syria reaffirms its commitment to its obligations under the Convention of the UN Disengagement Observer Forces UNDOF through respect for UNDOF mandate and in providing all necessary facilities for bilateral close cooperation and full coordination, stressing that occupied Syrian Golan is an integral part of the Syrian territory.

The Foreign Ministry FM statement noted the  Israeli repeated violations of UNDOF convention, adding that these violations coincided with direct Israeli support of armed terrorist organizations logistically and in terms of information, a matter which does not constitute a violation of the disengagement agreement of 1974, but endangering regional peace and security and UNDOF personnel, as happened recently.

The statement noted that what is happening in the area of separation is but an inevitable result of UN ignoring of all authentic information conveyed by the Syrian government constantly on the danger of the spread of terrorist organizations in the separation area, on the one hand, and the direct support these organizations receive from Israel and other countries, on the other hand.

The statement pointed out that the two kidnapping cases, against the Philippines battalion for the first time a year ago, and against the personnel of the Fijian and Philippine battalions, recently were carried out in complicity with the State of Qatar, which is linked with al-Nusra front terrorist organization with ties of funding and arming, known by the UN and the international community.

It described these practices as a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions 1373of 2001, and 2170 of 2014, providing for fighting -terrorism and stop financing it, as well as inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2133 of 2014, which prohibits paying ransom to terrorists.

The letters regret ted UN General Secretariat systematic reports’ ignorance of the terrorist character of the terrorist organizations as classified by the UN Security Council, including al-Nusra front , and free Sham front, known as the Islamic Front, which is part of al-Qaeda organization , noting their terrorist acts and atrocities committed not only against UNDOF personnel, but also against the Syrian people, Syrian state and its institutions and infrastructure, citing paragraph 42 of the report that “the activities carried out by many of the armed elements, including al-Nusra Front in UNDOF work area since late August, and the direct confrontation with UNDOF personnel forced UNDOF to evacuate all positions with the exception of one site. “

The Syrian government would like to suggest, the statement read that “UNDOF” has moved its headquarters in violation of the agreement separation of forces, while it could exercise its role fully through its headquarters in Damascus, adding that Syrian government spared no efforts to provide support to facilitate UNDOF work, including permitting Irish plant and equipment for the detection of mines, and facilitate the introduction of advanced equipment and fittings for all UNDOF battalions.

In conclusion, the Ministry stresses the importance of UNDOF continued mandate under UN Security Council resolutions, undertakes to continue to provide the same support provided over the years for UNDOF, and reaffirms the need to address the main reason for UNDOF existence in the area, which is the continued Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan, therefore the UN Security Council is demanded to work immediately to end the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan, in accordance with its relevant resolutions, especially resolution No. 497 of 1981, which called on Israel to fully withdraw from the Syrian Golan to the line of June, 4 1967, calling for the issuance of this letter and  to be circulated as an UNSC official document.

T. Fateh