Friday, April 26, 2024

Pederson: Syria Treated by Many as a Space for Settling Scores

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen (Reuters/File)

Washington: Ali Barada


07:57-26 April 2024 AD ـ 17 Shawwal 1445 AH

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on Thursday that Syria has become a "sort of free-for-all space for settling scores," warning that each month, trends are moving further in the wrong direction.
In a briefing to the Security Council, the UN envoy noted that this last month, the grim specter of regional conflict loomed over Syria once again after the April 1 strikes on Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus, Iran’s 13 April strikes on Israel, attacks in Iran, Iraq and Syria, and others on US bases in northeast Syria.

“I remain extremely alarmed at this dangerous and escalatory spiral. I have long warned that Syria is treated by many as a sort of free-for-all space for settling scores,” Pedersen told the Security Council.
Also, the UN envoy said he is not only worried about these regional spillover effects and the grave dangers of miscalculation and escalation. “I am also deeply worried about the conflict in Syria itself, which continues to blight the lives of the long-suffering Syrian people,” he said. “Any temptation to ignore or merely contain the Syrian conflict itself would be a mistake.”

Pedersen then spoke about the situation in the northwest of Syria, where Security Council-listed terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched multiple crossline attacks.

In the northeast, he said there were reports of Turkish drone-strikes, exchanges of fire between armed opposition groups and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), alongside a growing insurgency by some tribal elements against the SDF.

Pedersen then said that in the southwest, security incidents remain at elevated levels with reports of open clashes between former armed opposition groups and Syrian government forces, as well as incidents related to criminal activities on the border.

“We need regional de-escalation, starting with an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza,” he said, adding that all players must work towards a nationwide ceasefire in Syria too.

Tackling the humanitarian situation, Pedersen said, “it is as bleak as ever.”

As for the economic situation, the UN envoy said it remains perilous. “The WFP says that the cost of a food basket doubled within a year, while the cost of living increased by 104%. The Syrian pound has reached around 15,000 per US dollar on the parallel market,” he noted.

Pedersen stressed the need to move forward on the safe, calm and neutral environment that is necessary for a political process to unfold, and also for safe, dignified and voluntary returns.

He then noted that “a mix of de-escalation, containment and humanitarian assistance – brokered through partial arrangements and piecemeal formats – is what we are seeing in practice.”

Without this the situation would be even worse, Pedersen stressed.

TURKEY INVADED SYRIAN KURDISTAN

PKK/YPG has no place in Syria's future, says Türkiye's representative at UN

'Syria remains alarmingly exposed to be a battlefield for other hostilities in the Middle East,' says Ahmet Yildiz at Security Council

01:12 - 26/04/2024 Friday
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Türkiye delivered a stern warning Thursday against the persistent threat posed by the PKK/YPG terrorist organization in Syria.

Saying that “the PKK/YPG/SDF terrorist organization continues its efforts to advance a separatist and disruptive agenda in northeast Syria," Ahmet Yildiz, Türkiye's permanent representative to the UN, emphasized at a UN Security Council session that the terror group represents the "biggest threat to Syria's territorial integrity and political unity."

In a resolute declaration, Yildiz reiterated Türkiye's firm position, saying "the PKK/YPG and its separatist terrorist agenda have no place in Syria's future."

He further condemned the terror group's exploitation of civilian facilities and its oppressive practices against the local population.

Underscoring the urgent need for concerted international efforts to address the multifaceted crisis gripping Syria, Yildiz said, "We cannot lose sight of the precarious situation in Syria in the 14th year of the conflict."

He noted the interconnected deterioration in security, economic and humanitarian dimensions, compounded by recent dangerous escalations in the region.

"Syria remains alarmingly exposed to be a battlefield for other hostilities in the Middle East," he added.

Urging all relevant parties to refrain from actions that could exacerbate tensions, Yildiz also stressed the need to revitalize the political process in line with Security Council Resolution 2254, calling for national reconciliation to address the root causes of the conflict.

He expressed support for the Constitutional Committee as a crucial platform for negotiations between the Bashar Al-Assad regime and opposition, urging its prompt convening without delays over venue issues.

He also reiterated Türkiye's support for UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen's efforts towards a political solution.


"Given the necessity to coordinate a humanitarian response to a staggering level of needs as well as according to the situation on the ground, it is important to preserve the ‘Whole of Syria' approach," he said.

Following Yildiz's speech, Syria's representative at the UN, Qusay al-Dahhak, criticized Türkiye and the Turkish envoy for referring to the Syrian government as a "regime."

In response, Yildiz reminded that Türkiye is not the reason for this conflict to start.

Noting the necessity of moving ahead with the political process, he urged the representative of Syria to also "focus on the way forward."

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