Syria, 2014

I would like to congratulate you, Sir, and your

friendly country, Uganda, on your election as President

of the General Assembly at its current session and to

wish you success in leading the work of the session,

bearing in mind the important and neutral role of the

President of the General Assembly. I would also like to

thank your predecessor, Mr. John Ashe, for his efforts.

Many events and significant changes have taken

place since I stood here last year (see A/68/PV.21). Those

events have surprised many of the countries represented

here today, but they did not surprise us, since we have

been warning the international community about

trends leading towards the current situation for the past

three and a half years. Speeches from this rostrum have

focused on the economic and political crises that we

have been waiting for the international community to

resolve. However, talking about such issues is no longer

a priority.

What we have been witnessing for a few months is

much more dangerous than all the political and economic

crises that have been happening in the world. More than

once and from more than one international platform, we

have talked about the grave threat of terrorism that is

striking Syria. We said that such terrorism would not be

limited to the territory of my country, since terrorism

has no boundaries. Extremist ideologies acknowledge

only themselves and do not recognize anything but

slaughter, murder and torture. Today we are witnessing

what the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the

most dangerous terrorist organization in the entire world

in terms of its unprecedented funding and brutality, is

doing to Syrians and Iraqis of all stripes and religions.

That terrorist organization is enslaving women, raping

them and selling them in slave markets. It decapitates

and cuts off limbs, teaches children to slaughter and

murder and destroys historical and cultural monuments,

as well as Islamic and Christian symbols.

All that is happening before the eyes of the entire

world and countries that have vowed always to fight

terrorism, even though they themselves have not

experienced the scourge of terror. Today I stand here

to ask the following. Is it not time for all of us to stand

united in the face of the serious threat of terrorist takfiri

ideology worldwide? Has the time not come for all of us

to admit that ISIL, the Nusra Front and other Al-Qaida

affiliates will not remain within the borders of Syria and

Iraq but will spread to every place that they can reach,

starting with Europe and America? Should we not learn

the lesson of what happened in previous years and unite

all international efforts so as to deal with those groups?

Those organizations have rallied extremists from all

corners of the Earth and brought them to one place to

train and arm them. They then spread their ideology

and terrorism through those extremists back to where

they came from.

Some people may say that a resolution was recently

adopted unanimously under Chapter VII of the Charter

of the United Nations in order to prevent the expansion

of that organization and other terrorist groups and to

eradicate them. It is true that it is better to arrive late

than never. The resolution, adopted on 15 August, in

fact came too late. However, the issue here is whether

everyone is serious about its implementation, as we

have not yet seen any serious steps to implement it.

Furthermore, we have not seen any real sense of fear

among the regional States that continue to provide all

kinds of support to those terrorist groups, not enough

fear to cause them to work for the implementation of

the resolution. On the contrary, what we see on the

part of the United States Administration is a policy of

double standards and alliances in order to carry out

certain political agendas, in particular by supporting

with money, weapons and training groups that they call

moderate.

That will lead only to more violence and terrorism,

the shedding of more Syrian blood, a protracted Syrian

crisis and the prevention of any political solution.

Such behaviour creates fertile ground for the growth

of terrorist groups that are committing the most

heinous crimes on Syrian territory. That requires all

of us to seriously and effectively address and eradicate

terrorism in order to restore security and stability in

Syria and the region. Today, enslaved women look to

us to see what we will do for them, their sisters and

their children. The sons and daughters of the victims

beheaded by ISIL await our action and our response in

the face of the atrocities that are being committed daily

by that terrorist organization, the Nusra Front and other

groups.

Combating terrorism cannot be achieved through

unimplemented United Nations resolutions. Intentions

are meaningless. We can fight terrorism through

the real implementation of resolutions or, clearly, by

means of military strikes. But, most importantly, it

can be achieved by preventing States from arming,

supporting, training, funding and smuggling those

terrorist groups. We must also deprive terrorism of its

resources. Striking terrorism militarily while some

States continue to support terrorist groups will create a

vicious cycle from which the international community

will not escape for decades.

Military strikes should take place at the same time as

the implementation of Security Council resolution 2178

(2014), adopted on 24 September under Chapter VII.

We must also put pressure on countries that provide

multifaceted support to such terrorist groups. Those

countries are well known to us all. The most important

issue is to put pressure on those countries that have

exported and continue to export extremist Takfiri

ideology, thereby seriously jeopardizing international

peace and security. ISIL is an ideology transformed into

an organization that is supported, armed and trained

to be unleashed against Syria, Iraq and Lebanon like a

monster.

Let us together put an end to that ideology and

its exporters. Let us simultaneously put pressure on

the countries that have joined the coalition led by the

United States so as to put an end to their support of

armed terrorist groups. Only then does combating

terrorism militarily become viable. Otherwise, our

presence there will not measure up to the tears of the

captives, enslaved women and children who have fallen

victim to Daesh, the Nusrah Front and other groups.

Once again, the Syrian Arab Republic reiterates

that it stands with any international effort to combat

terrorism. We stress that that must be done with full

respect for the lives of innocent civilians and for

national sovereignty, in conformity with international

agreements. At the same time, the Syrian Arab

Republic would like to thank all countries that have

stood firm and rejected any prejudice to the sovereignty

of other States, underscoring respect for international

resolutions.

It is high time to unite all our efforts against

such terrorism, since everyone is surrounded by the

imminent threat and no country is immune to it. My

country maintains its declared position of the 1980s

with regard to fighting terrorism before it becomes

rampant, as is currently happening.

In Syria we respect our commitments and honour

our promises and pledges. We have confirmed that

position on more than one occasion, particularly since

the beginning of the Syrian crisis.

Syria agreed unconditionally to attend the Geneva II

Conference on Syria and participated in its deliberations

with an open mind, although we were convinced that

the solution to the crisis should be Syrian-owned and

take place on Syrian territory. However, as a goodwill

gesture, in order to put an end to the shedding of Syrian

blood, we went to Geneva, only to find a delegation that

was not negotiating on behalf of Syrians.

First, that delegation has no influence whatsoever

on the ground in Syria and has neither popularity nor

legitimacy among the Syrian people. The delegation

was negotiating with the Syrian Government while

following the orders of its Western masters. It does

not believe in combating or contronting terrorism.

Furthermore, that delegation does not respect Syria’s

sovereignty and territorial integrity. and it verbally

refuses to ask terrorist groups to stop their terrorist acts.

We know that that opposition and delegation would not

be able to pressure anyone, either armed groups or any

Syrian faction on the ground.

We went to Geneva with the priority of combating

terrorism, since we believed, and continue to believe,

that we cannot embark on any political solution while

terrorism is still rampant in Syria. Some in Geneva

opposed our acknowledging the fight against terrorism

as a priority, although it is a paramount part of the

provisions of the Geneva declaration. However, the

delegation of the so-called coalition continued to reject

any proposal to tackle or to condemn terrorism.

Now we see the entire international community

adopting our view that fighting terrorism is the top

priority and that nothing whatsoever can be done as

long as terrorism brutally strikes everything in its way

and terrorists return to countries from which they came.

Once again, we emphasize that we are ready for, and

even actively seek, a political solution in Syria and talks

with all honourable opposition members who oppose

terrorism in Syria and among Syrians themselves on

Syrian territory.

Everyone assumed their responsibility in the

presidential elections, which took place before the eyes

of the world. The will of the Syrian people is greater

than that of all those who have tried to suppress it for

more than three years now. That was demonstrated

when the entire world heard the voice of the Syrian

people both inside Syria and beyond.

Now, after the presidential elections, we would

like to tell all those who desire and look forward

to a political solution in Syria that they must first

respect the Syrian people’s will, which was expressed

explicitly, clearly, firmly and loudly. For the first time

in Syria’s modern history, they chose their President

in multiparty elections, with international monitors

from several countries who witnessed the integrity and

transparency of the elections, as well as the enthusiasm

of the people to participate in them.

I would like to emphasize that the Syrian people

have made their choice. Those who want to speak on

behalf of the people must first be representatives of the

people and, secondly, must respect the people’s will

and their decisions. Any dialogue must therefore be

based on respect for the will of the Syrian people and

their decisions. Accordingly, we are open to a political

solution in Syria with a genuine opposition that seeks

the prosperity, stability and security of Syria — an

opposition that does not depend on external elements

and speak on their behalf, an opposition that has an

impact in Syrian territory and has deep roots inside

Syria, not in hotels and Western capitals. It must be

a national opposition that upholds fighting terrorism

as its priority and encourages the ongoing national

reconciliation efforts, paving the way for a successful

political solution.

Humanitarian needs in many basic areas have

increased because of the continuing terrorist attacks in

Syria. The inhumane sanctions imposed by the European

Union and the United States have exacerbated the poor

living conditions of Syrian civilians. At the same time,

my Government is striving to meet the basic needs of

our citizens, in particular those forced by terrorist acts

to flee their homes. We are doing that in cooperation

with the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies,

in the context of the humanitarian response plans

agreed by those bodies with the Syrian Government.

We should note that a great number of our people

have been forced to seek refuge in neighbouring

countries. Regrettably, some of those countries put

displaced Syrians in military training camps resembling

places of detention in order to train them to take up

arms. From this rostrum, I underscore the fact that the

Syrian State guarantees for those citizens who wish it

a safe return and a decent life, free from the inhumane

conditions that they suffer in those camps. I affirm

Syria’s readiness to make every effort to deliver aid

from international organizations to all Syrian citizens,

without any discrimination whatsoever and wherever

they are, in the context of respect for our national

sovereignty.

The Syrian Arab Republic confirms its resolve with

regard to the full restoration of the occupied Syrian

Golan up to the line of 4 June 1967. It also emphasizes

its rejection of all actions taken by Israel, the occupying

Power, to change the natural, geographical and

demographic characteristics of the Golan, in clear

violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions,

in particular resolutions 497 (1981) and 465 (1980).

Syria also affirms that the Palestinian question is

the central issue for the Syrian people, who support

the inalienable and legitimate rights of the brotherly

Palestinian people, particularly their right to return,

to self-determination and to establish an independent

State on their land, with Jerusalem as the capital.

Last September, Syria accepted the initiative of the

President of the Russian Federation, His Excellency

Mr. Vladimir Putin, and acceded to the Chemical

Weapons Convention on the basis of the need to render

the Middle East a zone free of nuclear weapons and

all weapons of mass destruction. We also wanted to

prove to the whole world our commitment to stand firm

against any use of chemical weapons. Syria has met its

obligations pursuant to its accession to the Convention

and has fulfilled its commitments despite the current

difficult situation.

Were it not for Syria’s cooperation with the

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

(OPCW)-United Nations Joint Mission, the Mission

could not have completed that task. The Special

Coordinator of the Joint Mission, Ms. Sigrid Kaag,

expressed her happiness at and gratitude for the Syrian

Government’s fruitful and constructive cooperation,

which led to the completion of that unprecedented work.

As a State party, Syria is committed to the full

implementation of the provisions of the Chemical

Weapons Convention within the framework of the

OPCW. However, the big question remaining is whether

those who are supplying terrorists with chemical and

other types of weapons will stop doing so and abide

by international law, especially the Chemical Weapons

Convention and the Security Council resolutions related

to terrorism.

Syria stresses that a Middle East zone free of all

weapons of mass destruction cannot be established

unless Israel, the only nuclear Power in the region,

accedes to all treaties banning the proliferation of

such weapons and puts its nuclear facilities under

the supervision of the International Atomic Energy

Agency. At the same time, we emphasize the right of

all countries to acquire and develop nuclear technology

for peaceful uses.

The imposition of unethical, unilateral coercive

economic measures by the United States and the

European Union contravenes international law and the

principles of free trade. Therefore, we call for lifting

the blockade that the United States has imposed on

Cuba for decades, and we renew our call to lift and

stop all the unilateral coercive measures imposed on

Syria and the peoples of other countries, such as Iran,

the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Venezuela

and Belarus.

We look forward to the United Nations being

able to realize the aspirations of our peoples to live

in dignity and to achieve development and food self-

sufficiency, free from all forms of terrorism, tension

and confrontation, in implementation of the principles

and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, in

particular safeguarding the States’ sovereignty and

equality in rights and obligations. We also believe that

priority should be given to concerted efforts by the

international community to combat the terrorism of

Daesh, Nusra Front and other Al-Qaida affiliates and

to drain their resources so that security and stability

will prevail in our region and the entire world.