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

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“But what is absolutely needed now is to follow up on those ideas, as we are urging all stakeholders to do. More broadly, I am calling anew for serious diplomatic discussions on a range of steps that could begin to impact the conflict dynamics, build some trust and confidence between and among Syrians and international stakeholders, and make progress step by step, step for step, within the framework of resolution 2254 (2015). I have been convening senior officials from key stakeholders in bilateral consultations in Geneva. The Syrian Government and the Syrian Negotiations Commission are of course invited to Geneva for those consultations, and I hope to engage them further soon.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“I have continued to engage widely on these realities, including in visits this past month to Tehran and Doha, and in a meeting with the Syrian Negotiations Commission. On Monday, I briefed a meeting of Foreign Ministers in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council. In addition, in late December Ms. Khawla Matar, Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, attended an Astana format meeting where she met senior officials from Russia, Turkey and Iran, the Syrian Government and opposition and regional observers. She also participated in a meeting of the Working Group on the Release of Detainees/Abductees, Handover of Bodies and Identification of Missing Persons. Participants in that meeting made some positive proposals, ideas that if implemented would mark some genuine progress on this file.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“There are also reports of young people seeking any opportunity to leave the country, sometimes falling prey to traffickers and warlords. Education is fragmented and severely degraded, as indeed are institutions and infrastructure across the board. The country remains de facto divided, and society is deeply fractured. Syrians see no concrete progress towards a political solution. Despite the continued violence and suffering, it is also clear that there is a strategic stalemate. There have been no shifts in the front lines for nearly two years. It is clear that no existing actor or group of actors can determine the trajectory or outcome of the conflict, and indeed that a military solution remains an illusion.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“Even if this particular ISIL uprising may have been quashed, the episode brings back terrible memories of the prison breaks that fuelled the original rise of ISIL in 2014 and 2015. I see it as a clear message to us all of the importance of uniting to combat the threat of internationally proscribed terrorist groups and of resolving the broader conflict in which terrorism inevitably thrives. We must remember in that context that the tragedy of the Syrian people is only deepening. Fourteen million civilians now need humanitarian assistance. More than 12 million remain displaced and many are right now facing freezing winter conditions. Tens of thousands are detained, abducted or missing. Syria’s economy has collapsed. Criminality and smuggling are flourishing.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“In recent days, as we have seen on the news, there has been an unprecedented attempt at a prison break by thousands of detainees with suspected ISIL affiliation in Hasakah, sparking clashes with air strikes from the United States-led Global Coalition against Daesh in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces on the ground. There have reportedly been dozens of fatalities. We understand that in the past few hours the Syrian Democratic Forces have taken back control, and all or most of the ISIL fighters seem to have surrendered. However, the situation is still unfolding. We remain very concerned about the safety and security of the civilians caught up in this situation, many of whom have been displaced. UNICEF drew attention to reports of ISIL members being holed up in dormitories for minors, putting hundreds of children in detention at risk.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: I thank you, Madam President. It is a pleasure to be back here in New York in person and to be able to greet everyone. Let me at the outset stress that Syrians continue to suffer deeply and that the violence in Syria is indeed continuing. This past month alone has seen air strikes in Idlib that reportedly killed civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure; mutual shelling across front lines; a flare-up of hostilities in the north-east; attacks with improvised explosive devices that killed civilians in northern Syria; air strikes attributed to Israel damaging the port of Latakia; continued violence in the south; a growing number of security incidents related to drug smuggling; and attacks by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), including on civilians and humanitarian actors, in north-eastern and central Syria.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8955 (2022) · source
“However, I hope that this coming year we can work on concrete steps towards the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). I count on the support of the Security Council.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“Let me add that I continue to engage widely with Syrian women and men in civil society who have diverse networks in Syria and the region, including the members of the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board and participants in the Civil Society Support Room. I value their contribution to all efforts to promote sustainable peace in Syria. Now is the time to explore whether a political process can meaningfully move forward in 2022. The status quo has many dangers, and it would be folly to only manage an unacceptable and deteriorating stalemate. Equally, the realities facing all parties should serve to promote an interest in compromise and open up opportunities for concrete steps forward on the political track. No one should expect miracles or quick solutions. The path forward will necessarily be incremental.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“As its terms of reference outline, the Committee must work expeditiously and continuously to produce results and continued progress. I have discussed concretely with both co-Chairs what that would look like, and I am continuing to engage in efforts to produce a clear understanding. After my discussions in Damascus, I am awaiting further communication from them before reaching out to the Syrian National Council. To be clear, I am ready to convene a seventh session of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva as soon as understandings are in place. Once they are, we will of course brief the civil society middle third in preparation for a seventh session.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“As I work to advance a broader process, I am actively engaged in seeking to reconvene the Syrian- led and Syrian-owned United Nations-facilitated Constitutional Committee. In October and November, Deputy Special Envoy Matar went twice to Damascus for consultations with regard to a new session and also met in Istanbul with the Syrian Negotiations Commission and the co-Chairs, which it nominated. Just over a week ago, as I mentioned earlier, I travelled to Damascus where I met with the Foreign Minister and the co-Chairs nominated by the Syrian Government. It is important that the delegations not only propose constitutional texts, but that they be ready to commit to revising those that have yet to be in the light of the discussions. We need a productive drafting process in accordance with the Committee’s mandate.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“Let me note that, while in Nur-Sultan, my team will attend a meeting of the working group on the release of detainees, abductees, the handover of bodies and the identification of missing persons. We will continue to urge meaningful progress on the various aspects of the file. Team members will also review the most recent release operation under the working group’s umbrella when on 16 December, in an operation observed by my Office, five persons from each side were simultaneously released in northern Syria. What is absolutely clear is that wide-scale action with regard to releases, particularly women, children, the sick and the elderly, and sharing information on the fate and whereabouts of missing persons are needed to move forward. I urged that during my recent visit to Damascus.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“I am convinced that we need all of those with a stake in the conflict involved in the common political effort if we are to see concrete progress on the issues that matter most both to the Syrians themselves and in terms of regional stability, which includes steps that could actually move us towards a safe, calm and neutral environment and could reinforce a Syrian-led political dialogue. We must channel frustrations over the lack of progress and decide to take initiatives towards a coordinated strategy on a broader process. I hope that, in that way, we can set in motion a virtuous cycle of reciprocal steps and build trust and confidence and the process could meet the aspirations of the Syrians, enable refugees to return voluntarily and in safety and dignity and fully restore Syria’s serenity, unity and territorial integrity.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“For example, United States-Russian channels laid the groundwork for resolution 2585 (2021), and it is important that we maintain and build on that. As the Secretary-General states in his recent report (S/2021/1030), we must continue to take every opportunity to address humanitarian needs, including by further increasing access and further expanding early-recovery efforts. I look forward to hearing more from Martin Griffiths on those issues. The recent Brussels and tomorrow’s Nur-Sultan meetings, which I mentioned earlier, are important because they can address issues on the ground, especially of a humanitarian and security character. Such efforts will undoubtedly continue. Nevertheless, the truth is that all existing channels and formats exclude at least one of the critical Syrian or international players.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“I am asking each stakeholder not only their priorities and demands, but also what they are prepared to put on the table in that context to help move the process forward. In time, I would hope that we can begin to define and agree on incremental, reciprocal, mutual, realistic, precise and verifiable steps that can be taken in parallel to build trust and confidence and help move the political process forward in line with resolution 2254 (2015). Let me recall why the political solution in Syria must be Syrian-owned and Syrian-led. Many issues are not solely in the hands of the Syrians. Moreover, we have seen that, when key stakeholders have worked together in taking mutual steps on issues of common concern, at least some progress has been possible.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“My sense from all those engagements is that there remains a great level of mistrust on all sides. A common message that I hear from many is that, “We have made steps, but those on the other sides have not”. Nevertheless, in my opinion, there is enough interest from all sides to test what might be possible via a wider political process. In order to further explore that, I have begun consulting with senior officials from key Syrian and bilateral stakeholders in bilateral consultations in Geneva. Those are under way and will continue in January. That is the first set of consultations in what I believe needs to be a rolling process. So far, the Russian Federation, the European Union, Turkey and Qatar have participated in bilateral consultations with me in Geneva. I look forward to engaging with additional participants in the new year.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“With every passing month, I have sensed a broader realization than before — that political and economic steps are needed and that those can truly happen only together, step by step and step for step. I have travelled extensively in the region, and I met with the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in November and with the Government of Lebanon earlier this month. I recently travelled to Damascus for wide-ranging discussions with the Syrian Government. I also recently briefed American, European, Arab and Turkish envoys when they met in Brussels, and, as we speak today, my Deputy, Ms. Khawla Matar, is en route to Nur- Sultan where she will meet with Russian, Turkish, Iranian and other officials participating in an Astana format meeting.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“First, all parties are confronting what I call a strategic stalemate on the ground that has continued for 21 months, with no shifts in front lines, making it increasingly clear that no existing actor or group of actors can determine the outcome of the conflict and that the military solution remains an illusion. Secondly, there are grave risks and costs to all by simply trying to muddle through the unacceptable status quo, especially given the humanitarian suffering, the continuing displacement crisis, the collapse of the economy, the de facto division of the country, the dangers of renewed escalation and the continued threat posed by terrorism. I have been highlighting those dynamics in all my engagements.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“Syria remains fragmented into several areas that seem to be drifting apart, as de facto authorities entrench their control on the ground and five foreign armies continue to jostle in the theatre. Syria continues to radiate instability — a haven for mercenaries, drug trafficking and terrorism. Six years since its adoption, we are regrettably a long way from implementing resolution 2254 (2015) in a manner that could ease the suffering of the Syrian people, meet their legitimate aspirations and restore Syria’s sovereignty and unity. I believe, however, there are possibilities for progress that need to be explored in 2022. Why do I say this? There are two main reasons.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: We meet at another year’s end, and we can look back on 2021 only as a year of deepening suffering of the Syrian people. Despite no shift in the front lines, we have seen continuing violence against civilians and systematic human rights abuses, including against women and girls. Levels of hunger and poverty have escalated as the economy has continue to implode, with 14 million people in need, the highest number since the conflict began. Many tens of thousands remain detained, abducted or missing. Thirteen million civilians remain displaced inside and outside the country, many of the children not knowing their homeland, as prospects for a safe, dignified and voluntary return are not improving, and remain a continuing challenge for Syria’s neighbours.”
2021-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8937 (2021) · source
“As part of that, I am continuing to ask key States to work with me in exploratory discussions on concrete, mutual and reciprocal steps that are defined with realism and precision, can be implemented in parallel and are verifiable. We need a constructive Syria diplomacy to help save lives, ease suffering, promote stability and further the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). I will shortly be embarking on consultations in a number of capitals, as well as engaging the Syrian parties directly, as I seek to both facilitate the Constitutional Committee and develop a wider political process, step for step and step by step, to promote the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015).”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“The violence must stop. I continue to call for a nationwide ceasefire and to stress that the obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure must be respected. I also reiterate my call for international cooperation to counter terrorist groups effectively and in a manner that strictly adheres to international humanitarian law. Mr. Griffiths will shortly update Council members on the grave humanitarian situation. For my part, let me simply recall here today that more than 12 million Syrians remain displaced, either as refugees or as internally displaced persons, and poverty levels are in the vicinity of 90 per cent. The current trajectory of developments in Syria is deeply concerning. We have to break out of this dynamic.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“As part of that, I called for convening more frequent meetings of the working group on the release of detainees/abductees, the handover of bodies and the identification of missing persons. As the Council knows, tens of thousands remain detained, abducted or missing. I continue to press this issue in all my engagements. Today I will not elaborate on a range of other issues. However, I want to stress that, as we facilitate this difficult work, we never lose sight of the deep suffering of the Syrian people in all its dimensions. As our efforts were under way in and near Geneva, violence continued on the ground in Syria. We saw terrorist attacks, air strikes and heavy shelling, which all led to casualties, including dozens of civilians. Some of those incidents also underlined the constant risks of a regional escalation.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“They showed a sense of common purpose and urgency about the need for the political process to move forward. They also stressed the need for effective institutional arrangements to guarantee the protection and full participation of women in the future of Syria, and they gave me and my deputy valuable ideas and advice. We will continue to consult them closely. Let me also stress a third focus of our diplomacy last week. On the side-lines of the Constitutional Committee, I raised with the representatives of the three Astana guarantor States — Iran, Russia and Turkey — the need to accelerate collective efforts on the crucial file of detainees, abductees and missing persons.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“As the Council knows, the Constitutional Committee has approximately 30 per cent women among its members, and the civil society delegation is indeed comprised of nearly 50 per cent women. We continue to stress the importance of their full participation in the Committee’s work. On top of that and as part of our continuing commitment to ensuring that peacemaking efforts provide real openings for Syrian women to meaningfully participate in all facets of the political process, in parallel with the Constitutional Committee, we convened near Geneva the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board. The discussions among that diverse group of women from inside and outside Syria brought real insights on the impact of the conflict on Syrians from all backgrounds, both inside Syria and in the diaspora.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“It is important that the Constitutional Committee continue its work with urgency and purpose — indeed, that it works, as its terms of reference state, expeditiously and continuously to produce results and continued progress. That is what we agreed upon between the two parties. I will continue my active consultations with the co-Chairs and engage the middle third to address the challenges that have arisen. We need a common understanding on a working mechanism to help the Constitutional Committee discharge its drafting mandate. We also need to set the dates of the forthcoming sessions. I remain convinced that progress on the Constitutional Committee could, if made in the right way, help to build some trust and confidence. But let me stress that this requires real determination and the political will to try to build some common ground.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“However, in the absence of an agreed mechanism to revise the draft texts and begin to identify commonalities, the 45 members of the small body were not able to move from submitting and discussing initial draft constitutional texts to developing a productive textual drafting process. During the week, the co-Chairs also discussed possibilities for dates for the seventh and eighth sessions before the end of the year, but an agreement on dates and a commitment to meeting twice before the end of the year was regrettably not possible. It was for those reasons that I viewed the outcome, particularly the last day’s discussions, as a disappointment.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“The delegation nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission also presented comments on, and proposed amendments to, the texts that had been presented by the other delegations for the same stated purpose. The meeting concluded without any points of consensus or provisional agreement in the Committee. Let me remind the Council that the Constitutional Committee’s mandate, as agreed by the parties, is to prepare and draft constitutional reform for popular approval. In accordance with its mandate, it may also amend the current Constitution or draft a new constitution. That is what constitutional reform means in that setting. Last week, for the first time, all delegations submitted draft constitutional texts.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“However, the co-Chairs agreed that delegations that had further material to present regarding the texts discussed to date should be free to do so in the plenary meeting on Friday. In that meeting, the delegation nominated by the Government stated that it had no revisions to present of its draft constitutional texts and that it did not see any common ground. The delegation nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission and some members of the middle third delegation each presented revised versions of their respective draft constitutional texts, stating that those were attempts to build common ground in the light of discussions earlier in the week.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“On Thursday, the delegation nominated by the Government submitted a draft constitutional text on terrorism and extremism. Let me note that the co-Chairs had agreed on that distribution for the session with the understanding that, in the next two sessions, other delegations would take their turn in presenting draft constitutional texts on two titles during the week. Each principle was the subject of discussion for one day. However, the co-Chairs were not able to agree on the mechanism for progressing the discussion further during the final day on Friday. The co-Chair nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission made proposals on that, but there was no co-Chair agreement.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“With United Nations facilitation, they agreed how titles would be selected and when they would be discussed during the first four days. Together with me, they also met the middle third civil society delegation. Accordingly, draft constitutional texts on four titles were presented in advance of each meeting and then discussed in the Committee. On Monday, the delegation nominated by the Government submitted a draft constitutional text on the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. On Tuesday, the delegation nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission submitted a draft constitutional text on the army, the armed forces, security and intelligence. On Wednesday, some members of the middle third civil society delegation submitted a draft constitutional text on the rule of law.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: Last week, from 18 and 22 October, I convened the sixth session of the small body of the Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, United Nations-facilitated Constitutional Committee in Geneva. In accordance with the agreement that I facilitated between the two co-Chairs, titles of constitutional principles were submitted before departure to Geneva by the three delegations, namely, the delegation nominated by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, the delegation nominated by the Syrian Negotiations Commission and the middle third civil society delegation. Joined by my Deputy, Ms. Khawla Matar, I convened the first co-Chairs’ meeting in advance of the session, and they met in that format as required throughout the week. The co-Chairs’ interactions were frank, open and business-like.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“In that regard, I am continuing to ask key States to work with me in exploratory discussions on concrete, mutual and reciprocal steps that are defined with realism and precision and that are implemented in parallel and are verifiable. I am continuing my consultations to seek real buy-in in the form of relevant players being ready not only to identify what they seek, but also what they can deliver on, in a reciprocal process. I remain ready to use the convening power of the United Nations in Geneva if that can help create prospects for incremental progress. I will continue that work on the wider process, while focusing in the weeks ahead on facilitating the next session of the Syrian-led and -owned Constitutional Committee.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Clearly the conditions are far from being ripe for most of them. But we can start to look at how to remove some of the obstacles to returns — whether they be in terms of the security situation, legislation, resources or livelihoods and with the relevant authorities sending clear and credible signals. That would send a signal of concrete hope to millions of Syrians. And I believe that it would help decrease tensions across the region — tensions that are intimately linked to the spillover effects of the Syrian conflict. As I have often stressed, the issues are not solely in the hands of the Syrians. We need constructive Syria diplomacy to help save lives, ease suffering, promote stability and further the implementation of resolution 2254 (2015).”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“While there, the Board has also been invited to meet with Finnish officials to gain insights on the Finnish experience in education and conflict resolution. Let me underline the importance of action on the crucial file concerning detainees, abductees and missing persons. All sides say that they agree that action is needed. All sides stand to benefit from progress, as families from every corner of Syria have seen loved ones detained, abducted or gone missing. I remain absolutely convinced that, if we could make inroads on that, it would be a vital confidence-builder, a signal to all Syrians that peace is possible and a circuit-breaker in the context of international diplomacy. My hope is that this concerted international cooperation could also help to focus on the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“We need to find a genuine intra-Syrian political dialogue — something that was reportedly discussed when President Putin met President Al-Assad in Moscow recently — and through that, a genuine process of Syrian political reform. I am convinced that Geneva can be the place where Syrians committed to durable peace can begin to work with each other in a constructive manner. Let me recall that resolution 2254 (2015) also encouraged the meaningful participation of Syrian women in the political process. Without that no solution in Syria can be complete. My office has continued to consult with the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board. In fact, the Board is currently convening in Helsinki, and Deputy Special Envoy Matar will be joining them.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“The co-Chairs are also committed to setting provisional dates for future meetings and discussing a workplan. In short, we should all now expect the Constitutional Committee to begin to work seriously on a process of drafting — not just preparing — a constitutional reform. If it does that, then we will have a different and credible constitutional process. We need that if we are to build a modicum of trust. All three delegations — the delegation nominated by the Government, the delegation nominated by the opposition and the middle third civil society delegation, which my Deputy Special Envoy, Ms. Matar, briefed yesterday — have important contributions to make in that regard.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Following eight months of intensive facilitation with the co-Chairs, I am pleased to announce that agreement is in place on methodology, and invitations have been issued for a sixth session of the Constitutional Committee. While we are still in the process of confirming logistics, the small drafting body will convene in Geneva as of 18 October, and the co-Chairs will meet the day before for the first time, together with me, to prepare the session. The co-Chairs’ agreement on methodology is based on three pillars that formed the basis of my engagement with them: first, respect for the terms of reference and core rules of procedure; secondly, the submission of texts of basic constitutional principles in advance of the meetings; and thirdly, regular co-Chair meetings with me before and during the coming session.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“I will be travelling from here to Washington, D.C., as my consultations continue. It is clear from all our engagements that trust is low, but it is also clear — and let me emphasize this — that common interests do exist, that things are not static and that there is every reason to try now to build a more effective political effort. On the Constitutional Committee, we are at an important moment. It has now been exactly two years since the Committee was agreed by the Government of Syria and the Syrian Negotiations Committee. Regrettably, the Constitutional Committee has not yet begun to make steady progress on its mandate. But today there is some good news to report.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Let me also remind Council members that any humanitarian effects of sanctions that could exacerbate the plight of ordinary Syrians need to be avoided and mitigated, particularly in terms of overcompliance. But I hope that the issues being discussed in recent international contacts are the floor, and not the ceiling, of what we collectively want to achieve in Syria. That has been my message during recent weeks, including trips in the region and in New York. I have engaged intensively with the Syrian parties — the Syrian Government and the opposition Syrian Negotiations Committee. I was able to join the Secretary-General when he met several Foreign Ministers and senior officials of key countries. I have seen several other senior officials recently, including in Geneva.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Counter-terrorism action in accordance with international humanitarian law, conducted in a manner that is effective while protecting civilians and safeguarding regional security, is possible and indeed needed. It will require greater international cooperation among key stakeholders. I am sure that the situation on the ground in Idlib and elsewhere will be an important issue when Presidents Putin and Erdoğan meet tomorrow. I continue to appeal for those with influence to promote calm. Much depends on that. Meanwhile, Russian-American contacts to pursue humanitarian progress in the framework of resolution 2585 (2021) have continued. Indeed, the United Nations is committed to doing all it can to fully implement the resolution in all its aspects.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“I also hope that there can be safe, dignified and voluntary returns of all civilians to their homes. Elsewhere in Syria, there are multiple sources of concern: ongoing shelling and skirmishes among non-State armed groups and the Turkish military on front lines across the perimeter of north-west Syria and northern rural Aleppo; reports of an increase in Turkish drone strikes in Syrian territory; and yet another round of air strikes attributed to Israel on targets near Damascus. Multiple listed terrorist groups continue to operate across all quarters of Syria. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant attacked a gas pipeline supplying the power plant in Deir Ali, causing a power outage across the country — a reminder of the dangers those groups still pose.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“In Idlib, many who returned to their homes in the south of the province have now been displaced once more against a backdrop of sustained mutual shelling, rocket fire and increased air strikes amid reports of civilian fatalities. Many strikes have been concentrated south of the M4 highway, but there have also been strikes deep inside the de-escalation zone, including alarming strikes near internally displaced person camps. Meanwhile, an agreement has brought calm to Dara’a Al-Balad, and I hope that it proves sustainable. I welcome the reduction in violence and the resumption of humanitarian access. I hope that civilians are protected without any further escalation there or in other parts of the south-west where similar agreements are being replicated.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“As part of that, they also need the sustained attention of the international community in support of a wider effort that could solidify calm, ease their suffering and carry us forward along the path of restoring Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity and meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people to determine their own future — the pillars of resolution 2254 (2015). With military front lines largely frozen for 18 months and the concerns of parties regarding the status quo, the time to push for a political process is now. Resolution 2254 (2015) recognizes the close link between a nationwide ceasefire and a parallel political process, and I continue to call for that, particularly given the episodes of violence and the dangers of that spiralling into an all-out confrontation.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Poverty levels are approaching 90 per cent after a decade of conflict, mismanagement and corruption, and now there is the impact of the Lebanese economic collapse, the coronavirus disease and, indeed, sanctions. Syria is divided into several de facto zones, with international players jostling in the theatre, as well as violent episodes that continue to test the relative calm of the past 18 months. The Syrian people desperately need a Syrian-led and -owned political process to deliver.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: Last week, a grim announcement reminded us of the appalling suffering and losses of the Syrian people. The High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that more than 350,000 people can be confirmed individually — by name, date and location — as having been killed in the first decade of the conflict. Given the vast numbers still unaccounted for, the actual figure is likely much higher. To that horrific death toll, we may add other measures of deep suffering from more than a decade of conflict. More than 12 million Syrians are displaced; that is half of Syria’s pre-conflict population. Tens of thousands remain detained, abducted or missing.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“I hope that will be possible, as I said, within the not-too-distant future. I look forward to returning to the Council in late September.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“If the representative of Mexico should so accept, I ask that I respond to her question in my briefing next month, in late September. During the forthcoming period, I hope that, with the support of the Council and the cooperation of both the Syrian Government and the opposition, we will be able to resolve outstanding differences in order to be able to come together and start not only preparing but also drafting a new constitution for the Syrian people. As many Council members highlighted in their statements today, that is a task for the Syrian people alone. Nevertheless, it requires that the two parties to the Constitutional Committee — namely, the representatives nominated by the Syrian Government and the representatives nominated by the opposition, the Syrian National Coalition — come to an agreement on how we are to proceed.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“Mr. Pedersen: Let me thank all members of the Security Council and the representatives of Syria, Turkey and Iran, as well as Mr. Erksoussi, for their statements. I have been listening very carefully and taking notes. Allow me to start by repeating that I am highly appreciative of the support that we are receiving. However, despite all of that support, as I highlighted in my intervention today, the situation on the ground is increasingly of concern. I am hoping that through the diplomacy I will be conducting over the next few weeks, by the time of my next briefing to the Council, at the end of September, I will, hopefully, have some positive news. In my present remarks, I have chosen not to go into much detail on some of the issues I am working on, in particular with regard to the Constitutional Committee.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“I therefore appeal to all Council members, who were able to come together on resolution 2585 (2021) in July, to continue working in that same direction to help facilitate a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of the women and men of Syria and restores Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, as envisaged in resolution 2254 (2015).”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“I am ready to use the convening power of the United Nations in Geneva if that can help create prospects for accommodations. I will continue my consultations. My thinking is continuously shaped by my interactions with Syrians inside and outside the country — women and men from all walks of life — through the Civil Society Support Room, the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board and elsewhere. A shared sentiment I frequently hear them express is that beyond the urgent needs on the ground today, there is a real fear that the Syrian people are being forgotten.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source