The United Nations calls on all parties in Syria to find a solution to the crisis

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, stressed that the time has come for all concerned parties in Syria to seriously engage with his Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, to develop a new and comprehensive approach to resolving the ongoing crisis in the country, in line with Security Council Resolution No. 2254, noting the importance of Restoring Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity, and meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.

In statements he made yesterday (Thursday) at the United Nations in New York, Guterres called on all those who have influence over the parties concerned to do their part to alleviate the long suffering that the Syrian people are going through, saying: “It is painful to see this gradual fragmentation of Syria.”

He pointed to the recent attack launched by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which is subject to UN Security Council sanctions, along with a number of other armed opposition groups on government-controlled areas, noting that this led to major shifts on the front lines.

The Secretary-General warned that tens of thousands of civilians are currently at risk in an area already on fire, saying: “We are witnessing the bitter fruits of a chronic collective failure of previous de-escalation arrangements to produce a genuine national ceasefire or a serious political process to implement Security Council resolutions… This must To change.”

The Secretary-General revealed that he discussed yesterday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the latest developments in the situation in Syria, noting that he stressed to him the urgent need for immediate humanitarian aid to reach all civilians in need, and to return to the political process facilitated by the United Nations to end the bloodshed.

The Secretary-General reminded of the obligations that fall on all parties in Syria to ensure the protection of civilians under international law.