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8373rd Security Council Meeting: Situation in Middle East
The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, briefing the Security Council today on efforts to push forward a constitutional committee aimed at ending the eight-year-long conflict in Syria, also announced his decision to step down at the end of November, while vowing to vigorously pursue a balanced, fair and inclusive political solution “until the last hour” of his tenure.
Staffan de Mistura, who has served as Special Envoy since July 2014, outlined major strides achieved in defeating terrorism in Syria, reducing Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh)’s territorial base and – most recently – averting a humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib Governorate. Expressing hope that the window presented by the Idlib agreement will allow for even further progress, he also briefed the 15-member Council on ongoing efforts to draw up a constitutional committee as part of a political solution leading, ultimately, to the conflict’s end.
Announcing that he will step down as Special Envoy in the last week of November, he vowed to dedicate the rest of his service to fully exploring the feasibility of convening the Constitutional Committee. To that end, his team has listened carefully to all the parties, as well as civil society representatives and others who are not political actors “but still deserve a stake in their future”. Underlining efforts to seek balance and ensure that no political side will dominate the committee, he said Syrians of different ethnic and religious backgrounds will be represented and a minimum 30 per cent of the committee’s membership will be reserved for women.
“The key parties are the Syrian parties,” he continued, noting that while the political process will be supported by the United Nations and other relevant countries it will fully respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Outlining plans to meet with Government officials in Damascus next week, he also stated his intention to engage with the Astana guarantor countries – Iran, Russian Federation and Turkey – and the “Small Group” countries - France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and the United States. Expressing hope that the constitutional committee will convene in November, he said it remains unclear if that will be possible.
Following the briefing, many Council members – along with several delegates invited to speak under Rule 37 of the Council’s procedural rules – thanked Mr. De Mistura for his tireless work. However, speakers diverged sharply on their visions of the constitutional committee process, as well as the origins of, and imperatives for ultimately ending, the bloody and longstanding conflict.
Kuwait’s delegate joined other speakers in emphasizing that Syria currently finds itself at a crossroads. Two distinct paths have recently emerged: one a bright, clear road forward - marked by new opportunities for diplomacy and engagement – and another dark and filled with pitfalls and even more violence. Expressing support for efforts to push forward a fully inclusive constitutional committee process – he called for intensified efforts to sustain the Idlib ceasefire and strict adherence with relevant Council resolutions. Resolving the conflict requires a political process that fully preserves the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, he stressed, calling for intensified diplomatic engagement at the highest levels in the coming days.
The representative of the United Kingdom, hailing the work of the Special Envoy, told him: “It beggars belief that the Syrian Government cannot work with what you have set out.” Indeed, she said, such a situation calls into question either the Russian Federation’s good faith in brokering the Sochi deal, or reveals that that country in fact does not hold sway over the Syrian Government. Appealing to the latter to help move the constitutional process forward, she nevertheless warned that the United Nations “cannot be involved in a charade”. The constitutional process must be fully legitimate, and all actors must engage in good faith.
The United States representative, also voicing support for moving forward with the constitutional committee, expressed concern over the lack of interest in a peaceful resolution on the part of the regime of President Bashar Al Assad, the Russian Federation and Iran. The constitutional parley is being stalled by the same delaying tactics that have kept the conflict going for years, he stressed, warning that “delay risks disaster”. In that regard, he urged all actors to support this historic opportunity.
The Russian Federation’s delegate, however, emphasized that the Sochi agreement is largely being fulfilled, with hundreds of fighters exiting the demilitarized zone in Idlib. Noting that his delegation remains engaged in the situation in Syria at the explicit request of its Government, he asked the representative of the United States to explain his country’s presence there, adding that fighting terrorism is only a pretext for United States engagement. Meanwhile, he warned against setting artificial deadlines in convening the constitutional committee without fully considering the interests of the parties or the context on the ground.
Syria’s representative said the illegal force led by the United States has again demonstrated its alignment with terrorist groups by attacking civilians in Syria, including women and children, this time with white phosphorus bombs. Such crimes must be investigated, and the United Nations must prevent these forces from undermining the sovereignty of the country, he stressed, adding that Syria is fully implementing the outcomes of the Astana and Sochi meetings. In that context, the Government supports a review of its current Constitution - with participants determined by Syrians and without foreign interference – but not speculation on a new constitution, which would only lead to a political vacuum.
Iran’s delegate stressed that the creation of a constitutional committee should be carried out in line with the understandings reached between the Astana guarantors and the Special Envoy. The current proposal on that front requires further examination and adjustment, he said, warning against exerting political pressure, setting artificial deadlines or deviating from the understandings reached. “No success can be achieved, and no progress can be made through hasty decisions, ignoring the realities on the ground, or political miscalculation,” he stressed, adding that the United States must end its occupation of Syrian territory and its support to terrorist groups.
The representative of Saudi Arabia expressed regret that the Special Envoy has not yet been able to achieve a political resolution in Syria due to the Assad regime’s obstinacy and procrastination. Rejecting interventions by the Iranian regime - as well as the genocide and mass murder presently being conducted against the Syrian people - he said Iran should immediately pull its militias out of Syria and leave the country for its own people. Meanwhile, he said, the international community must “save what it can save” and attempt to rescue Syria from the effects of the Assad regime’s immoral behaviour.
Germany’s delegate, also speaking under Rule 37 as a member of the “Small Group” on Syria, called on the Russian Federation and Iran, as Astana guarantors alongside Turkey, to ensure that the Idlib ceasefire is fully respected by all parties, including the Syrian regime. Now is the time to start working towards an inclusive, credible and sustainable political solution, he said. Echoing concerns raised by several other speakers, he said the return of refugees to Syria must begin only when conditions are ripe, and reconstruction efforts can only be discussed when clear progress is seen in Syria’s political process. “We will not invest in war and corruption,” he stressed, adding: “We will not build on shifting sands.”
Also speaking were representatives of France, China, Peru, Poland, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Sweden, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Bolivia, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey.
The meeting began at 9:31 a.m. and ended at 12:28 p.m.
