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UN / SYRIA IDLIB
STORY: UN / SYRIA IDLIB
TRT: 3:47
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 18 SEPTEMBER 2018, NEW YORK CITY
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
18 SEPTEMBER 2018, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“We call upon all parties, especially when we are getting this kind of positive news regarding what could have been a dramatic military escalation, to refrain from military actions elsewhere that would only exacerbate an already complex situation. But for now, we are pleased that there is de-scalation in one major area: Idlib. And now that we have this deal, there is no reason not to move forward expeditiously with the political process.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“There is a need to see Syrians start to talk to each other, and that can happen in the constitutional committee. There is a need to find steps that can build confidence, and that can in time create a safe, calm and neutral environment. At a time when there is an effort to focus on refugees, and on rehabilitation, let’s not forget that without meaningful and irreversible political process, and without real steps on the ground, the confidence required may not develop.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations:
“What do we think the 3 million civilians, including those million children kettled in Idlib, make of yesterday s agreement? Well, I have a simple question. Is this merely a stay of execution? Or is it the beginning of a reprieve, the first tiny glint of light at the very end of the darkest tunnel?”
8. Med shot, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) James Jeffrey, United States Special Representative for Syria:
“Assad and the henchmen who unleashed these atrocities will never be welcome in the world of civilized nations. They will get no help to rebuild, certainly not from us. I can’t imagine that any other government would want to explain to its people why they would send aid to the barbaric Assad regime.”
10. Med shot, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (English) James Jeffrey, United States Special Representative for Syria:
“Iran cannot dictate the future for the Syrian people. If Russia is interested in bringing peace to Syria, it should make sure Iran and its militias leave Syria once and for all. The risk of a broader conflict will leave with them.”
12. Med shot, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations:
“I wish to tell Staffan, it is not worth perhaps using the Security Council to excerpt pressure on the guarantors. They are doing more for the political process than anybody present in this chamber. It is important for you facilitate not to lead the process. The Syrian decisions need to be owned by the Syrian people themselves as is stipulated in Resolution 2254 to which we all, including yourself frequently refer.”
14. Med shot, delegates
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar Jaafari, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations:
“The Russian martyrs in Syria are our martyrs. The blood is one, the enemy is one, and the victory is one over the same terrorism.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar Jaafari, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations:
“The Syrian Arab Republic welcomes the agreement on Idlib province which was declared yesterday in the Russian city of Sochi. The Syrian government reaffirms that this agreement was the result of intense consultation between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation, and with complete coordination between the two countries. This means that the Syrian Government was not the last to know in this regard and no one can sidestep the Syrian Government.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura welcomed the agreement reached Monday between the Presidents of Russia and Turkey over Idlib and stressed that with this deal “there is no reason not to move forward expeditiously with the political process.”
Addressing the Council today (18 Sep), de Mistura welcomed the agreement between Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan to establish a de-militarized zone within Idlib and hoped it would be expeditiously implemented, with full respect for international humanitarian law. He expressed worry over the Israeli strikes on the Syrian coast and the accidental downing of a Russian aircraft by Syrian anti-aircraft fire and called on all parties “especially when we are getting this kind of positive news regarding what could have been a dramatic military escalation, to refrain from military actions elsewhere that would only exacerbate an already complex situation.”
On the political front, the Special Envoy said his consultation resulted in a formula for the formation of a constitutional committee which would be comprised of three equal parts, one-third government representatives, one-third opposition, and one-third experts and civil society. He added that the government and opposition participants have been agreed on, but the middle list has been significantly questioned. He said countries should not seek to intervene in the issues that are for the UN to facilitate and stressed that as far as he is concerned all the pieces are in place for a credible process to happen. He added that if everyone supports the UN-lead and recognizes the need for a balanced, credible process, and sensible rules of procedure, the process can move ahead very fast.
SOUNDBITE (English) Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria:
“There is a need to see Syrians start to talk to each other, and that can happen in the constitutional committee. There is a need to find steps that can build confidence, and that can in time create a safe, calm and neutral environment. At a time when there is an effort to focus on refugees, and on rehabilitation, let’s not forget that without meaningful and irreversible political process, and without real steps on the ground, the confidence required may not develop.”
UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said the situation in Syria was now calmer but humanitarian needs remain substantial. He also welcomed the Sochi agreement but reminded, whether from within or outside the proposed demilitarized area, civilians must be allowed to seek refuge elsewhere should they deem it necessary to leave. Lowcock asked the Council if the agreement was “merely a stay of execution” or the beginning of a “reprieve, the first tiny glint of light at the very end of the darkest tunnel.”
US Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey said Russia wants the world to believe that after a military campaign, everything will go back to the way it used to be and is therefore asking recognition of the Government, reconstruction funds, and pushing Syria’s neighbours to send refugees home before it is safe to do so.
SOUNDBITE (English) James Jeffrey, United States Special Representative for Syria:
“Assad and the henchmen who unleashed these atrocities will never be welcome in the world of civilized nations. They will get no help to rebuild, certainly not from us. I can’t imagine that any other government would want to explain to its people why they would send aid to the barbaric Assad regime.”
Jeffrey said there would not be stability in Syria as long as Iran and its proxy forces remain in the country adding that “Iran cannot dictate the future for the Syrian people.” He said, “If Russia is interested in bringing peace to Syria, it should make sure Iran and its militias leave Syria once and for all. The risk of a broader conflict will leave with them.”
The US Envoy said de Mistura should immediately move forward with the convening of a constitutional committee and should set a date for the first meeting. He added that the Council should hear back from the UN on committee’s progress by October 31.
Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the agreement reached yesterday was an historic milestone adding that his delegation, along with their Turkish colleagues, would submit it to the Council to be recognized as an official Security Council document. He stressed that the Astana guarantors are working to ensure the safety of civilians while combatting terrorism. Speaking to Special Envoy De Mistura, the Russian ambassador said it was “not worth” using the Security Council to excerpt pressure on the Astana guarantors as they are “doing more for the political process than anybody present in this chamber.” He said it was important for the Special Envoy to “facilitate not to lead the process” adding that Syrian decisions need to be owned by the Syrian people themselves.
Syrian ambassador Bashar Jaafari expressed his condolences to his Russian counterpart over the loss of the 14 military personnel lost last night and said, “The Russian martyrs in Syria are our martyrs; the blood is one, the enemy is one, and the victory is one over the same terrorism.” He condemned the Israeli attack which he described as a continuation of its aggressive policy aimed at providing moral support to terrorist groups in the country who are suffering successive defeats.
Jaafari said Syria welcomes the agreement on Idlib and “reaffirms that this agreement was the result of intense consultation between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation, and with complete coordination between the two countries.” He said this meant that the Syrian Government “was not the last to know in this regard and no one can sidestep the Syrian Government.”
The Syrian ambassador noted that the Sochi agreement was timebound and a part of the previous agreements over de-escalation zones reached in the Astana process. He said it is based on a commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the liberation of all Syrian land from terrorism or any other illegal foreign military presence.
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