UN envoy outlines ‘possibilities for progress’ in Syria next year

“No 1 should expect miracles oregon speedy solutions – the way guardant volition beryllium needfully incremental. But I anticipation that this coming twelvemonth we tin enactment connected factual steps towards the implementation of Security Council solution 2254,” helium said. 

The resolution, adopted successful December 2015, outlines a roadmap for a bid process successful Syria, wherever a decennary of warfare has killed much than 350,000 people.   

‘Strategic stalement’ 

Six years on, it remains “regrettably a agelong way” from being implemented, said Mr. Pedersen. “But I bash judge determination are possibilities for advancement that request to beryllium explored successful 2022.” 

A “strategic stalemate” has continued connected the crushed for 21 months, helium said, “making it progressively wide that nary existing histrion oregon radical of actors tin find the result of the conflict, and that a subject solution remains an illusion.” 

Furthermore, each sides look sedate risks and costs “by simply trying to muddle done with the unacceptable presumption quo”, helium added, particularly fixed factors that see ongoing suffering and displacement, economical collapse, the de facto part of the country, and the dangers of renewed escalation. 

“The presumption quo has galore dangers, and it would beryllium folly lone to negociate an unacceptable and deteriorating stalemate,” said Mr. Pedersen. “Equally, the realities facing each parties should beforehand an involvement successful compromise, and unfastened opportunities for factual steps guardant connected the governmental track.” 

Wide-ranging engagement

The UN envoy reported that helium has been highlighting these dynamics successful each his engagements with those who tin assistance extremity the fighting. 

“With each passing month, I person sensed a wider realization than earlier that governmental and economical steps are needed - and that these tin truly lone hap unneurotic – step-by-step, step-for-step,” helium said. 

Mr. Pedersen has met precocious with the Syrian Government successful Damascus, and with Foreign Ministers from the region.  He besides briefed American, European, Arab and Turkish envoys erstwhile they met successful Brussels. 

Overcoming mistrust 

“My consciousness from each these engagements is that determination is inactive large mistrust connected each sides,” helium said. “Nevertheless, determination is capable involvement from each sides to trial what could beryllium imaginable via a wider governmental process.” 

To further research this, Mr. Pedersen has been consulting elder officials from cardinal Syrian and planetary stakeholders.  Talks person been held successful Geneva truthful acold with Russia, the European Union, Turkey and Qatar.  Consultations with further participants are besides anticipated. 

“Let maine callback present that portion the governmental solution successful Syria indispensable beryllium Syrian-owned and Syrian-led, galore issues are not solely successful the hands of the Syrians. Moreover, we person seen that erstwhile cardinal stakeholders enactment unneurotic with communal steps connected issues of communal concern, astatine slightest immoderate advancement has been possible,” helium said. 

Constitutional Committee update 

At the aforesaid time, Mr. Pederson remains “actively engaged” successful getting the Syrian Constitutional Committee to reconvene, portion besides gathering with civilian nine representatives, including members of the Women’s Advisory Board. 

The Constitutional Committee comprises adjacent numbers of representatives from the Syrian Government, absorption and civilian society, the alleged “Middle Third”. 

A drafting process began during its past meeting, held successful October successful Geneva, but ended without statement connected moving forward. 

Mr. Pedersen said it was important that delegations not lone array texts but beryllium acceptable to perpetrate to revising them, successful airy of discussions held implicit caller weeks successful Damascus and Istanbul. 

“To beryllium clear: I americium acceptable to convene a Seventh league of the Constitutional Committee successful Geneva arsenic soon arsenic understandings are successful place. And erstwhile they are, we volition of people little the Civil Society Middle Third successful mentation for a Seventh Session.” 

Cross-line humanitarian aid 

Meanwhile, the UN continues to present assistance to millions of Syrians, amid a analyzable operating environment. 

UN humanitarian affairs main Martin Griffiths reported that 2 cross-line convoys person been deployed successful the northwest of the country. The latest was conscionable days ago, and unneurotic they carried nutrient and different supplies for astir 80,000 people.  Another is planned for January. 

“Through our entree negotiations, we were capable to place solutions acceptable for each parties, but statement needs to beryllium reached connected who would beryllium progressive successful conducting cross-line convoys, and who would beryllium authorized to administer the aid,” helium said. 

Sustained operations needed 

A section squad from the World Food Programme (WFP) besides began nutrient distributions past Thursday done a recently established mechanism, and the UN volition proceed to propulsion for these to proceed.  

Mr. Griffiths said this archetypal advancement indispensable beryllium translated into much predictable and sustained humanitarian operations.  

“We volition proceed to bash each successful our powerfulness to facilitate these cross-line convoys – convoy erstwhile a month, transportation each week. And I telephone upon each parties to facilitate, to help, and not to artifact the implementation of our plan.” 

With wintertime mounting in, millions of Syrians are bracing for aggravated cold, including displaced radical forced to live, for now, successful tents. 

“And I regret to accidental that the humanitarian cognition simply does not person capable funds to supply the basal shelter, heating, and lukewarm apparel to each of those successful need,” Mr. Griffiths told the Council. 

“As I say, we are failing successful our responsibilities to the radical of Syria.”