With the passage of the eleventh anniversary of the Syrian war that erupted on March 15, 2011, several countries affirmed in a joint statement, today, Tuesday, their rejection of normalization with the Assad regime and the importance of activating the accountability mechanism for crimes committed in the context of the Syrian conflict.
The United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy said in the joint statement: “Today marks 11 years since the Syrian people bravely and peacefully took to the streets to demand freedom, political reform, and a government that respects and supports human rights, and the Assad regime has met those demands with an ongoing brutal attack on the Syrian people.”
“After 11 years of death and suffering, it is time for the regime and its backers, including Russia and Iran, to stop their brutal attack on the Syrian people,” she added.
The countries noted that “this year’s anniversary coincides with the horrific Russian aggression once morest Ukraine, which constitutes an exceptionally serious violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and which highlights Russia’s brutal and destructive behavior in both conflicts.”
The countries affirmed that “following more than a decade of conflict, the economic and humanitarian situation in Syria has become grim, and millions of Syrian refugees generously hosted by Syria’s neighbors, as well as internally displaced persons, cannot return to their homes in line with United Nations standards, and without fear of violence and arbitrary detention.” and torture, and the continuation of the conflict has created space for terrorists, especially ISIS, to exploit,” stressing that preventing the return of ISIS remains a “priority.”
In the statement, the countries stressed their support for the Syrian-led operation mediated by the United Nations, within the framework of Security Council Resolution “2245”, calling for a ceasefire in the Syrian territories, respect for the Charter of Human Rights, and the provision of humanitarian access, including the cross-border aid mechanism approved by the Security Council. , releasing forcibly detainees and clarifying the fate of the missing.
The countries affirmed that they do not support the normalization of relations with the regime of Bashar al-Assad, noting that they will not normalize any relations with him and will not take the initiative to lift sanctions or fund reconstruction “until irreversible progress is reached towards a political solution.”
She urged “all parties, especially the Syrian regime, to participate in the meeting on March 21 of the Constitutional Committee with good intentions,” calling on the committee to abide by its mandate.
She added, “Impeachment is unacceptable. We will therefore continue to work diligently to promote accountability, including through support for the Commission of Inquiry, the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. This also includes supporting organizations, many of them led by Syria, in collecting evidence and documenting atrocities and serious violations of international law committed in Syria, including the use of chemical weapons.
The countries stated that the investigation teams of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons continue to work to assign responsibility for “the abhorrent use of chemical weapons in Syria,” noting that the investigations confirmed the Assad regime’s responsibility for many chemical weapons attacks on the Syrian people, and added, “Those responsible for this must be held accountable.” Ignoring the global norm once morest the use of chemical weapons.”
The countries concluded their statement by welcoming the efforts aimed at investigating war crimes and holding their perpetrators accountable, calling for support for those lawsuits.
“As their harrowing testimonies prove, justice remains elusive for the victims and their families,” she said. Seeking accountability and achieving justice is essential to instilling confidence… and securing a stable, just and stable peace that Syrians need and deserve.”
