The Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) held its ordinary session in Istanbul between 8-9 March 2024. Before the meeting, a dialogue session was hosted with representatives of several states and Syrian civil society organizations. At the beginning of its meetings, the SNC listened to a comprehensive political briefing by SNC President, reviewed its committees reports and discussed the general political situation and the dire living conditions which our people experience across all Syrian areas. It discussed the following in particular:

1- The UN Special Envoy’s invitation to hold the 9th session of the Small Body of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva between 22-26 April 2024 to which the SNC has replied by officially accepting to send a delegation of its representatives in the committee to take part in the meeting. It further expressed preparedness to engage positively and constructively to help fulfil the committee’s mandate of drafting a new constitution for Syria and support the efforts which the Special Envoy is making to push the political process forward towards a durable political solution through the full and strict implementation of UNSCR 2254 (2015).

2- The SNC reiterates its position that a negotiated political process with its four topics starting with a political agreement and a transitional governing body is the only point of entry for a political solution in Syria. Hence, the SNC has requested holding a special Security Council session, with the participation of SNC as representative of Syrian revolution and opposition forces as one of the two parties to the political process, to discuss the obstacles and challenges hindering the political process and the implementation of UNSCR 2254 (2015) and ways to overcome them. It further calls upon the United Nations and relevant international organizations and member states to fulfill their commitments and obligations towards the rights of refugees, forcibly displaced and internally displaced persons by providing protection, meeting basic humanitarian needs and ending violations and unjust measures against them aimed at pushing them to unsafe and involuntary return.

3- The SNC emphasizes that it is essential to oblige the Syrian regime to release all detainees and unveil the fate of missing persons unconditionally in fulfilment of the relevant stipulations of UNSCR 2254 (2015). The SNC further commends the steadfastness of our Syrian people in refugee and IDP camps and stresses the importance of the return of forcibly displaced people to their homes from which they were displaced and its connection to the establishment of a safe and neutral environment as an integral part of the political process.

4- The SNC renews its commitment to the right of the Syrian people to justice and a state of law which protects and upholds human rights.

5- The SNC salutes the struggles of our Syrian people countrywide including the peaceful movement in Suweida which has offered an exemplary model in terms of its peacefulness, patriotism and organization.

6- The SNC reiterates its solidarity with the Palestinian people until they restore their legitimate rights and establish their independent state and implement relevant international resolutions. It further stresses the importance of ending the suffering of the Palestinian people through an immediate and permanent halt of aggression on Gaza, urgently delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians in all areas to support the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their historical land. The SNC aspires for a unified Arab position in support of Gaza and the Palestinian people and to support all diplomatic and political efforts made by the Arab group to foil the displacement scheme which contradicts all international laws and norms.