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Europe
08.12.2024 “The Syrians have suffered too much. óAssad leaves a country drained of blood, emptied of a large part of its population who, if they were not forced into exile, were massacred, tortured, and bombed with chemical weapons by the regime and its allies. France pays tribute to all the victims of this regime.” “We call for the silence of arms, the preservation of state institutions, and respect for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement of the French Foreign Ministry said, advocating for a political transition that protects civilians, ensures minority rights, and upholds international law. It called on Syrians to reject extremism and work toward solidarity among all communities in the country. “We invite all our partners to do everything possible to help the Syrians find the path to reconciliation and reconstruction through an inclusive political solution, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the will of the Syrian people,” the statement concluded. Chancellor Olaf Scholz today welcomed the fall of Assad, pointing out that his regime’s brutal oppression had claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, forced millions to flee Syria, with many finding refuge in Germany. “What matters now is that law and order are quickly restored in Syria. All religious communities, all minorities must enjoy protection now and in the future,” he said. ”We will judge future rulers by their ability to ensure that all Syrians can live with dignity and exercise self-rule, defend Syria's sovereignty against malicious interference by third parties, and live in peace with their neighbors,” he said. Germany’s Foreign Minister Baerbock underlined that Assad must he held accountable for the crimes of the regime. “Several hundred thousand Syrians have been killed in the civil war, millions have fled. Assad has murdered, tortured, and used poison gas against his own population,’ she said. Germany hosts nearly one million Syrian refugees. Baerbock urged all actors to live up to their responsibility for all Syrians and ensuring balanced representation in the future administration. She was citing UN Security Council Resolution 2254 as the basis for the country’s transition process. Baerbock was noting that Germany is coordinating closely with the UN, Western partners, and key regional players such as Türkiye to ensure a stable and peaceful transition in Syria. Tens of thousands of Syrians flooded the streets of major German cities today in jubilant celebrations. Demonstrators waved Syrian flags emblazoned with “Free Syria” while filling the air with drumbeats and victory chants. Italy is closely observing the rapid developments in Syria “with concerned attention.” Sharing the update on X, Italian Foreign Minister Tajani revealed he has been in regular contact with Italy’s Embassy in Damascus. He also stated that an emergency meeting at the ministry was convened before noon to address the situation. The European Union is closely monitoring the fast-moving and volatile situation in Syria. With fighting between armed groups escalating throughout the country, we urge all parties to protect civilians and ensure the safety of humanitarian aid workers, Foreign Affairs spokesman Anoun said in a statement yesterday. “We reiterate our call for a political solution consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2254,” it added. Russia is interacting with all opposition forces in Syria, calling for respecting the views of all ethnic and religious forces in Syria, and supporting efforts to establish an inclusive political process under UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Russia's foreign minister yesterday reiterated Russia's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty during a meeting with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts, hours before the collapse of Syria’s Baath rulers. "We strongly reiterated the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and unity of the Syrian Arab Republic. We called for an immediate end to hostile activities. We stated, all of us, that we want (UN Security Council) Resolution 2254 to be fully implemented and for this purpose called for dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition, as provided in that resolution," said Lavrov, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement. At the 22nd Doha Forum in Qatar, Lavrov criticized the actions of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, saying it was unacceptable for the group to seize territories by violating existing agreements, especially Resolution 2254, which reaffirms Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity. Early today, after Lavrov’s meeting with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts, the capital Damascus fell under the control of anti-regime forces. Referring to the Astana format, in which Türkiye, Russia, and Iran have worked together for a path forward for Syria, Lavrov said: "If we speak about HTS specifically, in 2018 and 2020 in the framework of the Astana format, two agreements were signed clearly solidifying the common resolve not to allow HTS to rule in Idlib ... And these agreements have not been implemented. And now they are being grossly violated.” Lavrov also held the US accountable for the ongoing events in the Middle East, accusing Washington of trying to strengthen its hand in the region. "We are absolutely convinced of the inadmissibility to use terrorists like HTS to achieve geopolitical purposes, as it is being done now with the organization of this offensive from the Idlib de-escalation area,’ he added, referring to a city in northwestern Syria, near the Turkish border. Lavrov highlighted that Russian Air Force units stationed at Russia’s Khmeimim Airbase in Syria’s coastal Latakia province continue to support the Syrian army. On claims of Russian ships leaving Syria’s port of Tartus, Lavrov said: "There is a naval exercise in the Mediterranean. Maybe your satellite images took this for something different.’ Stating that Moscow, Ankara, and Tehran all reaffirmed their commitment to Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Lavrov said that they call for an immediate halt to the conflict and the initiation of dialogue between the Syrian government and legitimate opposition forces. Stressing the need for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, they reiterated that Russia, Türkiye, and Iran will continue to take steps on the issues on Syria where they have reached agreement, he said. On Ankara’s role in Syria, Lavrov said: "They are a very influential actor in Syria. They are concerned with the security of their border with Syria. "We discussed it in the Astana format and in the context of Astana plus Syria discussions on normalizing relations between Türkiye and Damascus." Lavrov also called the improvement of relations between Türkiye and Syria necessary, adding that Russia is ready to do everything it can to support this process. Speaking to Sky News, Britain’s deputy prime minister Rayner today said that the situation in Syria looks very serious. "What we need to see is a political resolution in line with the UN resolutions. We need to see civilians and infrastructure protected, far too many people have lost their lives, we need stability in that region," she added. Asked about British citizens in Syria, Rayner said that the government has had a plan to ensure that people were evacuated ahead of what happened this weekend, adding they will continue to support British nationals. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
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