December 17, 2024
Madam President,
I would like to first of all thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Geir Pedersen, and the Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Tom Fletcher, for their briefings. I would alos like to than Mr. Bader Jamous and Ms. Waad al-Kateab for their description of the current situation and their testimonies.
Madam President,
A new historic phase is opening for Syria and the Syrian people after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. After years of brutal repression, suffering and deep fracturing, the time has come for reconciliation and reconstruction in Syria, and also the time for justice for the thousands of men, women and children victims of the regime.
These thirteen years of civil war left country battered and the needs are immense. A major part of the population had to go into exile far away from their homes. The economy is to be restored and the country is to be rebuilt.
In the immediate perspective the priority has to be a cessation of hostilities throughout the country. The cycle of violence has to be broken. All of the civilians, including the ethnic and religious minorities, have to be protected, in line with international human rights law. International humanitarian law has to be upheld. We took note of the initial encouraging statements from the de facto authorities in this regard. France has high expectations on this topic and will judge them on their acts, and over time. Humanitarian assistance has to finally be supplied to all of the people who need it in Syria, and throughout the country.
Madam President,
At the same time, an orderly political transition has to be started, one that represents all of the trends of opposition and the de facto authorities. This is to be done guided by the spirit of Resolution 2254 and the major principles it establishes, while safeguarding the State institutions. The United Nations, through the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, can greatly help this process along. All of the components of the Syrian society has to be found at the same table to discuss the future of their country.
Relaunching a political process, which has to be led by the Syrians themselves, especially women and young people, should allow the building of the kind of future which meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, in all their diversity. This means coming up with guarantees of human rights and the fight against impunity, in particular when it comes to the disappeared, the tortured or those who were arbitrarily detained under the Assad regime.
Madam President,
It will also be of fundamental importance for the new Syria to make sure that there is no resurgence of extremism and terrorism, and against these phenomenon the fighting has to continue, including fighting Daech.
The greatest kind of vigilance also has to be maintained when it comes to the proliferation of weapons, in particular those which were within the Syria’s chemical program. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime provides a historic opportunity to destroy these chemical weapons. The de facto authorities have to take up this opportunity and cooperate with the OPCW.
Within the framework of this process, France is ready to continue helping the Syrian people, while humanitarian needs are so high. In the short term perspective, it is vital to make sure that humanitarian assistance arrives safely to all of the Syrians, using all possible supply routes.
Finally, France is following developments in the Golan with concern. We call on Israel to withdraw from the area, to respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to fully uphold the agreement on disengagement of 1974, it has to be upheld by its signatories, Israel and Syria. France renews its full support for the UNDOF, whose security must be preserved.
Madam President,
For thirteen years, France has stood by the Syrian people in their fight for freedom and against barbarism. We have supported, and will continue to support, the Syrian political opposition, which has a central role to play in the political transition underway in Damascus. France will continue to stand by the Syrian people during this new phase of hope.
I thank you.