UNSC briefing/consultations-Syria (political/humanitarian)

[29 August; 10:00 hrs EDT]

Approved India remarks

I join others in thanking Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen and ASG Msuya for their respective briefings. May I also extend the warmest welcome to the new Irish Ambassador on his first day in the Security Council. 

2.    It is disappointing that the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee has not met this month. We had hoped that the three parties would engage constructively and purposefully, with a sense of compromise, to achieve credible progress in the meeting. Now, it seems that there is a question mark on the venue as well.  

3.    Mr. President, external factors have proved detrimental to the overall political process. The engagement so far has not been able to bridge the trust deficit amongst the key stakeholders. The cancellation of the ninth Constitutional Committee meeting in July 2022 has further reinforced this view. As the July negotiations for renewal of the cross border mechanism on the humanitarian track have demonstrated entrenched vested positions by the primary stakeholders can be counter-productive in the long run and detrimental to the interests of millions of Syrians. We reiterate that it is for the Syrians to decide what is best for Syria and their own future. 

4.     The Special Envoy has been making efforts to engage with all sides and facilitate the political process, in line with Resolution 2254. We believe that his efforts should be supported, particularly his step-by-step approach. In this context, we welcome his recent visit to Moscow and meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov. We hope that he will be able to visit Damascus soon and also engage with the Syrian Government. We continue to believe that the success of his efforts will also depend on actual relief to the people of Syria by an easing of measures affecting their daily lives. There is also an urgent need to scale up assistance and to ensure that humanitarian agencies receive the necessary funding to fully execute their plans. 

5.    India has been consistent in calling for support to the regional efforts in finding a long-term solution to the conflict. We have welcomed the progressive normalization of Syria’s relations with its Arab neighbors. Any acts compromising Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will have a negative impact on the political process. 

6.    On the security front, we remain concerned with the overall situation in Syria. As pointed out in the Secretary General’s 60-day report, violence has continued in the Idlib de-escalation area in the north-west of Syria, including through airstrikes, mutual shelling and clashes. There is an urgent need for serious attempts towards a comprehensive nationwide ceasefire in Syria. We believe that withdrawal of all foreign forces is essential toward realizing this objective. 

7.    India has been consistently cautioning against the looming threat posed by a resurgence of terrorist groups in Syria. UN designated terrorist groups such as ISIL and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham continue to gain in strength not just in Syria, but in Iraq as well. The global fight against terrorism cannot and should not be compromised for narrow political gains. The credibility of the international community’s collective fight against terrorism can be strengthened only by ensuring accountability of terrorists and terrorist groups. 

8.    Turning to the humanitarian dimension, the extension of the mandate for cross border humanitarian assistance in July 2022 was indeed a welcome development. The fact that the Council was able to adopt a Resolution on Syria is in itself a significant development. It is also important to note that elected Council members played an important bridging role in finding solutions towards long-running problems and conflicts.

9.    The resolution reassured nearly 4 million people in the northwest of Syria, 2.7 million of whom are IDPs, many of whom are women and children, that the world remained engaged with them and is concerned with their well-being. At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fact that more than 14.5 million people across Syria need humanitarian assistance in one form or the other, while essential food items and fuel continue to remain in short supply. Food insecurity has reached historic highs and an estimated 60% of the population is food insecure, per the UN, even as the conflict enters its twelfth year. 

10.    India continues to call for enhanced and effective humanitarian assistance to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicization and preconditions. While cross-border operations are predictable and important, they cannot continue to exist in perpetuity. Concrete steps need to be taken to address the hurdles that are obstructing the functioning of cross line operations.

11.     Mr. President, humanitarian assistance cannot be a matter of political expediency. Linking humanitarian and developmental assistance with progress in the political process will only exacerbate humanitarian suffering. The international community also needs to constructively look at promoting projects, which will bring the much needed jobs and economic opportunities for the Syrian people. 

12.    In conclusion, Mr. President, let me underline India’s sustained commitment to extending developmental assistance and human resource development support to Syria. Our continued support to the people of Syria in their endeavor for seeking lasting peace and stability remains steadfast and unwavering. 

I thank you.