YouSaid · the spoken record

Pedersen

lines on the record: 597
first: 2012-10-15
most recent: 2023-12-21
sittings or episodes: 54
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In that regard, I appreciated the engagement I had recently in Athens with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece and with representatives of European Union members. I continue to stress that a political solution is the only way out of the suffering of the Syrian people, towards stability, security and peace. Such a solution requires realism from all sides and agreements and actions on key issues in resolution 2254 (2015). I continue to seek to facilitate a Syrian-led, Syrian- owned political process. Equally, I have always said that the United Nations cannot do it alone. We need the support of all key actors, and we will continue to work with all. No existing groups of players — not the Syrian parties, not the Astana players, not the Western players, not the Arab players — can alone bring about a political solution.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: We are at a potentially important juncture in efforts to move forward a political process on Syria. In the tragic aftermath of the earthquakes, we have seen renewed diplomatic attention on Syria. Diplomacy is continuing involving the Astana players and the Syrian Government. And there have been new openings of engagement between Arab countries and the Syrian Government. That renewed attention to Syria is very important if it can act as a circuit breaker and unlock long-stalled efforts to move the political process forward. I thank the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan in particular for their continued engagement with me. I look forward to continuing to stay in close touch with regional players and with the full range of stakeholders to maximize coordination and common messaging.”
2023-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9313 (2023) · source
“A political solution must restore Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity and meet the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. We must move down that path, even if only in stages. I am ready to use my good offices, develop proposals and convene the necessary players in an effort to help facilitate the way forward, which is consistent with my mandate under resolution 2254 (2015).”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“The situation today is at such an unprecedented level that it calls for leadership, bold ideas and a cooperative spirit. A political solution is the only way forward for Syria. We may not be able to reach that in one step, but I believe we can progress towards it gradually. The status quo is unacceptable. The renewed diplomatic attention on Syria, including in the region, and the shared suffering of all Syrians in the aftermath of the earthquakes create new obligations and opportunities. If all parties engage, I believe they can move forward. Last week we passed the awful milestone of 12 years since the start of the conflict. A Syrian-owned, Syrian-led and United Nations-facilitated political process supported by the international community is more essential than ever.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“I also believe there is a distinct and important role in this for key regional players and look forward to continuing to closely coordinate with them and all concerned. As part of an inclusive approach, I will continue to engage with a wide range of Syrians through the Civil Society Support Room and the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board, which convened in The Hague two weeks ago. Their insights continue to inform our approach. I am concerned about the fact that the Constitutional Committee has not met for 10 months, sending a troubling message that Syrians’ ability to search for a comprehensive solution is being held hostage to issues unrelated to their country. The Committee must resume its work in Geneva in a spirit of compromise and substance and at pace.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“None of the parties — the Syrian Government, the Syrian opposition, the Western players, the Arab players, the Astana players or the other parties concerned — can move the process forward alone. Individual approaches cannot make the kind of qualitative difference that a coordinated approach can. But if all are prepared to put practical points on the table and to coordinate and work together, I believe more firmly than ever that it is possible and essential to move forward, step for step and step by step. In that spirit, I look forward to further engagement with the Government of Syria and the Syrian Negotiations Commission in the period ahead as well as in the region and beyond. The good offices of the United Nations will need strong support from all outside actors in the next phase.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“I should note that I will continue to prioritize the file on the detained, abducted and missing, including engaging with their families. Earlier this month, I met representatives of the Truth and Justice Charter, who relayed to me how the earthquake had further compounded their angst in not knowing the fate or whereabouts of their loved ones or if they might have been affected by the earthquakes. Meanwhile, my Deputy continued to press the issue with interlocutors during her recent visit to Damascus. I also want to take this opportunity to reiterate the Secretary- General’s call on the General Assembly to consider establishing a new international body to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing persons. Fourthly, we must all understand that a degree of cooperation across divides is essential if we are to find a way forward.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“For example, the security situation, civilian protection, housing, land and property issues and civil documentation, as well as livelihoods, basic services and energy infrastructure, are all vital issues related to earthquake rehabilitation. They and other issues, such as conscription and detention, are also of vital importance to Syrian civilians in general, including refugees and internally displaced persons. There are also other issues that have featured in discussions to date. They can all be the subject of constructive work. I believe that verifiable steps implemented mutually and reciprocally by all sides are doable and that they can enable us to move forward incrementally into post-earthquake rehabilitation and in the process to make progress on political confidence-building on issues related to resolution 2254 (2015).”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“Thirdly, in the same way that we have seen moves from the various sides in the humanitarian arena, that logic can and must be applied to address post-earthquake rehabilitation and the broader political challenges. We have seen two long-closed crossing points reopened, and new openings on sanctions, showing that sides with differing views can make constructive moves. I sense from all the discussions I have had that there is an opportunity to make progress with additional moves on all sides beyond the immediate emergency. In the effort to advance the discussion, we must engage with the Syrian parties on how they can create an enabling environment for earthquake rehabilitation, and with outside actors on how they can provide enhanced resources and remove any hindrances, including those arising from sanctions.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“I have therefore been working with key stakeholders on achieving a sustained calm, especially starting in the areas affected by the earthquake in north-west Syria. It is a matter that I have raised widely, including in Damascus and with Iran, Türkiye, the Russian Federation, the United States and all the other members of the ceasefire task force that meets in Geneva. I appreciate the positive responses of key task force members to the appeal and hope that they can exert their influence to tamp down the violence. Sustained calm will be an essential ingredient in donor confidence for support to genuine rehabilitation in areas affected by the earthquakes.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“Since then, we have seen a creeping rise in incidents: regular exchanges of shelling and rocket fire across front lines in the north-west and north-east; some cross-line raids by listed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham; United States claims of rocket attacks on its troops in Deir ez-Zor; an incident in Afrin in which some armed opposition fighters fired on civilians; further security incidents in the south-west; Da’esh attacks; and further airstrikes attributed to Israel, including on the Aleppo international airport, which resulted in material damage and an airport closure that affected humanitarian operations. My concern is not just about the harm that such violence does to civilians. We have seen in the past that small incidents can bring about a broader escalation, and that must be avoided at all costs.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“I continue to coordinate closely with my senior United Nations colleagues, and I welcome the recent engagements in Damascus of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. Today my colleague from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Tareq Talahma, will brief the Council more in detail on the humanitarian situation. Secondly, we need a sustained calm on the ground, especially in areas affected by the earthquakes. The week after the earthquakes, signs of such calm emerged, with a relative lull in violence in most quarters. For brief moments, the unimaginable became real: parties on each side of the front line largely refraining from hostilities.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“She met Syrian Minister for Foreign Affairs Mekdad and other senior Government officials in Damascus and on the ground in areas affected by the earthquakes. Our messages have been the same with all those with whom we have engaged: let me share them with you today. First, it is absolutely vital to continue to provide resources to support the emergency response to the earthquakes, while also of course continuing to support the broader humanitarian response — both in Syria and in the neighbouring countries — to the immense suffering arising from the conflict. I welcome the pledges made for the Syrian earthquake response at the recent international donor conference held in Brussels and urge early disbursement of pledges.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: I have just returned to Geneva from Amman, where I briefed and engaged with senior officials of Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and the League of Arab States, focusing on the way forward in the aftermath of last month’s tragic earthquakes. I had already benefited from in-depth discussions with Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs Shoukry Selim and League of Arab States Secretary General Aboul Gheit in Cairo, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan in Riyadh, and Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi in Amman. I welcome the attention of the region on the crisis in Syria following the earthquakes. Meanwhile, Deputy Special Envoy Rochdi visited Latakia, Jableh and Damascus in Syria in recent days.”
2023-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9291 (2023) · source
“Let us build on the steps taken so far by all sides with further moves from all sides. In that spirit, let us identify and advance additional confidence-building steps from all parties to confront the challenges of recovery after the disaster and address unresolved political issues. Let us ensure a fully coordinated engagement in the period ahead to chart a political way forward. I continue to consult widely, including with Arab countries and other key players. I am ready to use my good offices, develop proposals and convene the necessary players in an effort to help to find the way forward, consistent with my mandate under resolution 2254 (2015). We owe that to all Syrians living the compounded nightmare, who are desperate for a glimmer of hope.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“That is because — let us be honest — the earthquakes have exposed and aggravated many of the core issues related to resolution 2254 (2015), such as issues of governance, sovereignty and territorial integrity, a nationwide ceasefire, building a safe, calm and neutral environment, the file of the detained, disappeared and missing, the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees and IDPs, many of whom have again been displaced by the earthquakes and have nowhere to go, and post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, for which the earthquakes have only created new needs. My message to all is the same: let us respond generously and work together to support the earthquake emergency response. Let all those with influence work to ensure full calm, especially in the areas affected by the earthquake.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“I am also continuing to reach out to those stakeholders because we will need all the key Arab and European players and, of course, the Astana players and the United States, to work in a coherent effort. If all, and I really mean all, can envisage compromise from previous positions, all will gain. That can be done only at the political level. I would say that an approach seeking reciprocal and verifiable confidence-building measures, the so-called step-for-step paradigm, is more relevant now than ever before. That dialogue was already deepening, and its tenets of parallelism and verifiability and the issues it was seeking to advance will be critical if we are to make progress.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“The situation today is unprecedented. It calls for leadership, bold ideas and a cooperative spirit. A serious political way forward will require a serious conversation among key stakeholders to make progress on some of the unresolved political issues of the conflict that could block much-needed recovery after the disaster. That will require less posturing, less rhetoric and more pragmatism. It will require realism and frankness on the part of the Syrian Government, the Syrian opposition and all key outside actors. It will require firewalling Syria from wider geopolitical disputes among key players. It calls for a coordinated process. I am coordinating closely with senior United Nations colleagues regarding engagement with the Syrian authorities and external stakeholders.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“That will require navigating through one of the most complex political landscapes on the planet — a territory split into several zones of control; a Government under sanctions from key donors; de facto authorities elsewhere; more than one listed terrorist group; five foreign armies; interlocking violent conflicts; mass displacement; systemic human rights violations and abuses; institutions that are degraded, corrupted or absent; destroyed infrastructure; a collapsed economy; growing illicit drug trafficking; grinding poverty and skyrocketing needs. And it will require navigating those complexities in a context in which the international community is itself deeply divided. Let us take inspiration from the Syrian people on the ground who have come together against the odds during this time to deal with their enormous challenges.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“And we particularly and urgently stress to all parties with influence that in all earthquake-affected areas, all violence should stop immediately to enable relief and respite for the civilian population. That is a mixed picture, but the four elements, involving action from various sides, are the kind of elements that we will need to build on if we are to move beyond responding to the emergency the earthquake has wrought and confront the challenges of resolving the conflict itself and addressing the deep crisis in Syria. As we move from emergency response to recovery after the earthquake, the unresolved political challenges will pose bigger obstacles and bigger dilemmas.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“However, I want to add that I am worried that we have seen that calm punctuated with reports of concerning incidents — exchanges of shelling and mortar fire between areas under the control of the Syrian Government, Syrian Democratic Forces, armed opposition or the Security Council-listed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham; a Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham cross- line attack; reported Turkish drone strikes; an air strike in central Damascus attributed to Israel; assassinations in the south-west; and terrible attacks attributed to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in the desert. Seeing reports of civilian casualties from military action is even more shocking at a time of natural disaster. We continue to stress the importance of calm throughout Syria.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“Continued donor generosity with pledges and quick disbursements in response to the flash appeal will be vital. Thirdly, I welcome the decision of the Syrian Government to open the two crossing points of Bab Al-Salam and Al-Rai from Türkiye to north-western Syria. Also notable has been the blanket approval for cross-line operations into north-western Syria until July, as well as other measures to cut red tape for humanitarian access and facilitate humanitarian financial transactions related to the earthquake response at a preferential exchange rate. Fourthly, let me note for the record that we saw a relative lull in violence after the earthquake, which can facilitate relief operations and proves that calm can be achieved and maintained with political will. That too was something that I stressed during my visit to Damascus.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“Girls and boys are especially vulnerable during such distressing and confusing events and have their own protection needs when adults are occupied elsewhere and many schools are shut or out of service. Secondly, I welcome the recent introduction of earthquake-related exemptions in several unilateral sanctions regimes, including by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, and their efforts to ensure that their sanctions do not interfere with the response, especially as a result of overcompliance. We have also seen a significant amount of goodwill and diplomatic energy with regard to Syria, in terms of the provision of assistance directly or via the United Nations and other relief agencies and of gestures of condolences.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“One Syrian interlocutor rightly told us that Syrian civil society has been on the ground and present in every house and in every family. Let me pause to note here that Syrian women have been at the forefront of those efforts. And on their shoulders lies the additional burden of calling out the particular dangers now facing women, especially those living in public spaces that do not afford them the privacy, dignity and security they need, and those working to overcome perceptions that women’s needs are luxuries that can be put aside at a time of humanitarian crisis. At a moment of real vulnerability, I am hearing reports of women being raped, beaten and harassed. Women requiring post-partum care have been denied that care, as well as appropriate places to shelter.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“But the earthquakes have also revealed another reality. We are seeing that it is possible to work for the common good. Notwithstanding the challenges and failures in the early days, the steps taken in response to the earthquakes — all temporary, all humanitarian, but all important — have sent a clear message. Yes, it is possible to make positive moves. It is possible to cooperate over Syria. I see several signals in that regard. First, we have seen remarkable goodwill shown by many Syrians themselves, in both words and actions, in organizing and sending relief to their fellow citizens across front lines, irrespective of the challenges and hardships they themselves may be facing. I am humbled by their willingness to put politics aside.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“Syrians in the north-west, particularly in areas outside Government control, have expressed strong frustrations about the international community’s inability to provide them with urgent assistance in the days after the earthquakes — something I have heard from many in civil society and from the Syrian National Council leadership in Istanbul. The tragic reality is that an effective response was hampered partly by challenges that relate directly to the unresolved issues at the heart of the conflict. I have long said that the situation in Syria is unsustainable, the status quo is totally unacceptable and the Syrian people are acutely vulnerable to issues not solely in their hands. It has taken tragic earthquakes to reveal that clearly, and the Syrian people are again the ones who are paying a heavy price.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“I have carried this message to all interlocutors: to the Task Force on Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva; to Beirut, where I saw key donors convened by the European Union; to Damascus, where I saw Minister for Foreign Affairs Mekdad; to Amman, where I saw Minister for Foreign Affairs Safadi; and to Istanbul, where I saw the head of the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC), Mr. Jamous. I have been in contact with Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs Çavuşoğlu and engaged with senior officials from the Arab region, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States of America and Europe. And today I have just returned from Moscow, where I saw Foreign Minister Lavrov yesterday.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“My humanitarian colleagues have been working day and night to scale up the response. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths has briefed the Council more than once in recent days and will do so again today. In support of the humanitarian imperative, I have urged all to depoliticize the humanitarian response. This means access: this is not the time to play politics with crossings across borders or frontlines. This means resources: this is the time for everybody to give quickly and generously to Syria and remove all hindrances to relief reaching Syrians in all affected areas. And this means calm: this is not the time for military action or violence.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“I extend once again my deepest condolences and sympathies to those in Syria and Türkiye who lost family members and loved ones. I grieve for the Syrians who were participants in the political process in Geneva and who were killed or lost family members and friends. I grieve for all who have suffered pain and loss, who are witness to trauma upon trauma and who are now asking themselves how they will rebuild any kind of future. I also pay tribute to the heroic Syrians, across different parts of Syria, as well as the countless non-governmental organization workers, emergency responders and United Nations staff, who made and are continuing to make tireless efforts under severe conditions in the disaster-stricken areas. The immediate priority is the emergency humanitarian response to the earthquake to Syrians wherever they are.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: The earthquakes that recently struck Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic have caused unspeakable suffering for millions of people. The Syrians affected — in both countries — were already deep into one of the greatest humanitarian crises of this century, after 12 merciless years of war and conflict. To then be battered by one of the biggest natural disasters of our times is almost beyond belief. The earthquakes struck when their needs were highest, when services were scarcest, when the economy was at its lowest and when their infrastructure was already heavily damaged. It hit many areas in which refugees and internally displaced person (IDPs) live, and in areas with heavy war damage or in which conflict conditions remain acute.”
2023-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9272 (2023) · source
“It is in that spirit in which I continue to engage all players and appeal for their continued support for the United Nations effort to facilitate the political process.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“The Syrian women and men with whom we engage remain hopeful that the conflict will come to an end in a manner that enables individuals to live in dignity. Ultimately, a diplomatic effort requires the inclusion of all relevant Syrian and international actors, whose stake and influence are necessary to resolving the tragic conflict. It requires a common effort to unite behind a Syrian-owned and Syrian-led process facilitated by the United Nations, as mandated in resolution 2254 (2015). Such a process is the only way to address the core drivers of the conflict; meet the needs and legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people; restore Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity; and safeguard regional stability and security concerns.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“The Syrian Women’s Advisory Board continues to advise me and Deputy Special Envoy Rochdi. Members of the Women’s Advisory Board have, in turn, continued their own conversations with their fellow Syrians to ensure that their perspectives, including those of women, are heard. We also continue to engage with Syrian civil society activists on a broad range of issues related to the political process and ongoing protection concerns. Participants in the thematic working groups of the Civil Society Support Room pursued their regular discussions through digital means on the issues of local governance, decentralization and protection priorities for Syrians, and how those can be addressed through a political process in line with resolution 2254 (2015).”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“A wide range of actions on all of those fronts will be essential to creating a safe, calm and neutral environment, including for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons. The fifth priority is to bring about initial step- for-step confidence-building measures. It is important to identify some precise, concrete, reciprocal and verifiable steps that could have a positive impact on the lives of Syrians, build some trust and confidence among the parties and move us towards a safe, calm and neutral environment along the path of implementing resolution 2254 (2015). I appreciate that the dialogue has deepened with all parties on those issues and stress that it is important for engagement to further deepen during February. My sixth priority is to engage with Syrians across the board.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“Meanwhile, we continue to remind our interlocutors at every opportunity that arbitrary detainees must be released and substantive steps taken to ensure the protection and rights of detainees. There has been no improvement on the ground this month. Arbitrary arrests have reportedly continued, with many of the individuals arrested not being informed of the reasons for their detention and their families not being informed of their whereabouts. Let us also not forget that those protection issues are among the core factors that refugees have cited to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees when explaining their decision not to return to Syria within the next 12 months, in addition to the situation with respect to security, livelihoods, basic services, housing and military service.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“The Government-nominated co-Chair has yet to respond to my letter of last June on improving the Committee’s working methods. I will continue my efforts to resume the meetings of the Committee and to work with its co-Chairs on finding ways to improve its substance and working methods, while keeping the Middle Third apprised of any developments. The fourth priority is that we must keep pushing the file of detainees and disappeared and missing persons. I look forward to progress in establishing a missing persons’ institution, as recommended by the Secretary- General, to be created as a pathway towards achieving tangible progress on that aspect of the file.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“The third priority remains to see the Constitutional Committee resume its meetings and make more substantive progress in Geneva. The Constitutional Committee could be a door-opener and help to advance a key component of resolution 2254 (2015), thereby contributing to the wider political process. I am keen to reconvene the meetings of the small body of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva without delay. However, there is nothing new to report to date, including on Russia’s position on the venue. The issues that had been raised previously were comprehensively addressed, and I thank the Swiss authorities for their receptivity. Further issues have meanwhile been raised, some of which are not in Swiss hands but on which good offices are nevertheless being extended.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“That allowed for the continuation of life-saving cross-border humanitarian assistance for millions of people in Syria — albeit for six months — while also expressing support for cross-line operations and early-recovery projects. The scale of needs inside Syria is at the worst level since the conflict began, with record levels of poverty and food insecurity, basic services breaking down and a burgeoning economic crisis. Needs in displacement camps remain the most urgent. Meanwhile, infrastructure remains on the brink, with frequent power outages against a backdrop of dwindling fuel supplies, resulting in knock-on effects across society. We will hear more on that from our briefer from the Office for the Coordination on Humanitarian Affairs.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“We continue to relay to the members of the ceasefire task force the importance of preserving and deepening calm, protecting civilians and consolidating the patchwork of existing agreements and arrangements into a nationwide ceasefire. Of course, that will require a parallel effort to find a cooperative approach towards countering listed terrorist groups that is in line with international law and ensures the protection of civilians. The second priority I stressed was to renew the framework in the Council on the humanitarian front. I thank members for the unanimous adoption of resolution 2672 (2023) earlier this month (see S/PV.9237).”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“We have seen fewer air strikes in the north-west in recent months, and the intense military escalation in the north-east that we witnessed late last year has diminished, but in other ways the picture remains as dire as ever. Shelling, rocket fire and intermittent clashes have continued along all contact lines, involving a wide spectrum of actors, including the Government, the armed opposition, the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Security Council- listed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which launched several cross-line attacks this month. Turkish drone strikes were reported in the north-east, and Israeli strikes were reported in rural Damascus and the Damascus airport. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant remains active, with sleeper cells killing military personnel and civilians.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“In all our engagements, our goal is to facilitate progress on several priorities in line with Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), and we urge all actors to work together in support of a United Nations-facilitated political process. Last month, I flagged six priority areas to the Council in my briefing (see S/PV.9230). Let me update members on them today. The first priority I identified was the need to step back from escalation and restore calm. A nationwide ceasefire remains essential to resolving the conflict. Last year, we saw periods of relative calm and periods of escalation. Over the past month, the picture has been equally mixed.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“Yesterday I met together the Syria Special Envoys of France, Germany, the United States and United Kingdom. I have engaged with representatives of the Russian Federation and the European External Action Service, and the Deputy Special Envoy, Najat Rochdi, met representatives of European Union (EU) member States and EU officials last week. We look forward to engaging widely with the full range of regional and international actors as part of the continuing consultations. The Syrian and Turkish authorities have held security and military contacts in recent months. The Syrian and Turkish Defence Ministers met with the Russian Defence Minister in Moscow on 28 December. I continue to closely follow developments in that regard.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“But we continue to focus on concrete actions that could build some trust and bring into being a real process to implement Security Council resolution 2254 (2015). To that end, I continue to engage the Syrian parties to the conflict. I will return to Damascus in February for meetings with Syrian Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad and the Government- nominated co-Chair of the Constitutional Committee, Ahmad Kuzbari. I saw the President of the Syrian Negotiations Commission, Badr Jamous, and the Commission-nominated co-Chair of the Constitutional Committee, Hadi Al-Bahra, in Geneva earlier this week. In parallel, I am engaging widely with key international players. Last week I met with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, and the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“More than a decade of destruction, war and conflict, corruption and mismanagement, sanctions, the Lebanese financial crisis, the coronavirus disease pandemic and its aftermath and now the war in Ukraine have contributed to a twin humanitarian and economic crisis of epic proportions. Roughly half the pre-war population remains displaced — the largest displacement crisis in the world and one of the largest since the Second World War. The situation is not only a source of tragedy for Syrians but a driver of instability across the region, including against a backdrop of growing reports of an illicit drug trade. The conflict needs a comprehensive political solution; nothing else can work. That solution is sadly not imminent.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: As we move into 2023, the Syrian people remain trapped in a profound humanitarian, political, military, security, economic and human rights crisis of great complexity and almost unimaginable scale. Syrians remain deeply divided over their future. Despite our best efforts, no substantive progress is being made to build a common political vision for that future via a genuine political process. Equally, many of the issues in the conflict have for several years now not been solely in Syrian hands. The country remains de facto divided into several parts, with five foreign armies, multiple Syrian armed groups and Security Council- listed terrorists all active on the ground. Serious abuses and violations of international humanitarian law and human rights continue across Syria.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9248 (2023) · source
“And I sense a growing realization in all quarters that allowing the status quo to continue and the situation to deteriorate is simply not an option. That is why I appeal to all members to get behind the agenda I have laid out today. Syria needs sustained international attention, starting with unity in the Council behind the humanitarian framework, but also on all the other aspects I have highlighted. I and my team will spare no effort to bring about some movement on this extremely difficult conflict in the year ahead. We must give Syrians hope for the future. Our goal remains a comprehensive political solution in line with resolution 2254 (2015) that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians and restores Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity. I am counting on members’ creativity, engagement and support.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“The role for civil society to help rebuild Syria’s social cohesion is more imperative today than it has ever been. Syrian women have been admirably resilient, enduring mounting hardships, particularly as heads of households. Their empowerment and inclusion is essential. As 2022 draws to a close, we look back on a very difficult year. The needs of the Syrian people have reached the worst levels since the conflict began, against a backdrop of further economic collapse and ongoing violence. No tangible progress has been made in advancing the political process. And global geopolitics made a difficult situation even more complicated. This is a bleak picture. But it is sometimes said that the hour is darkest before dawn. Syrians of all backgrounds tell me that the current situation is unacceptable and also unsustainable.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“I also met in Geneva with Badr Jamous, President of the Syrian Negotiations Committee, and discussed a range of issues in resolution 2254 (2015), including steps that all parties could take to help build trust and confidence and bring an end to the suffering of all Syrians. And I look forward to further engagement with the Syrian Negotiations Committee in the New Year as well. Let me stress a sixth and final point. I will continue to rely on the insights and advice of the Women’s Advisory Board. I will continue to mainstream gender in all our work. And I will continue to engage with a broad range of Syrians through the Civil Society Support Room to strengthen dialogue on issues relevant to the political process and to ensure inclusive participation. This month Syrian women and men told us that social trust remains in short supply.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“I am convinced that it is possible that the Syrian stakeholders and international players could find a way to make some precise, concrete, reciprocal steps that could move us some way along the path of resolution 2254 (2015). If that were done, I believe it could begin to have a meaningful impact on the lives of ordinary Syrians, shift some of the negative dynamics on the ground and build some trust and confidence between the parties and in the political process. I had a long exchange with Foreign Minister Mekdad in Damascus on that, and I appreciated his willingness to engage. The dialogue has certainly deepened, and I welcome the invitation to return to Damascus in the New Year for a new round of talks.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“I will continue my engagement with the Syrian Government and all other stakeholders to push for releases and information, commensurate with the scale of the issue, while maintaining my dialogue with family, victim and survivor associations. I also look towards 2023 with hope of seeing a missing persons’ institution mandated by the General Assembly, as recommended by the Secretary-General. That would be a pathway to generate some tangible progress for the millions of Syrians affected by this file and provide adequate support to survivors and families. The fifth point is to further the dialogue towards identifying and implementing initial step-for-step confidence-building measures.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source