October 29, 2024

The Syrian Negotiation Commission delegation visiting New York met with Patrick Quill, the political affairs officer at the UK Mission to the United Nations, to discuss the Syrian political process and ways to advance it, as well as the necessity of securing protection for Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon and those remaining there, along with other issues related to the Syrian crisis.

The delegation highlighted the repercussions of the current situation in the region on Syrian refugees, pointing out the various dangers they face upon returning from Lebanon, including the arrest or interrogation of some by Syrian authorities and the absence of any guarantees for their safety. They called on international organizations concerned with Syrian refugees to address the situation of those remaining in Lebanon, while also emphasizing the need to increase humanitarian aid for all Syrians, particularly in northwestern Syria, which is experiencing difficult living conditions.

The delegation, which included the head of the legal office at the commission, lawyer Tarek Al-Kurdi, the head of the detainees committee, Alise Mufarraj, and commission member Fadwa Ojily, stressed that all these issues are interconnected with the political process and the necessity of achieving a political solution in accordance with UN Resolution 2254, so that refugees and displaced Syrians can return to their homes and end their displacement. The discussion also touched on the issue of detainees and those forcibly disappeared, emphasizing the need for international and UN efforts on this critical issue and the necessity of working towards the release of all detainees held by the Syrian regime and clarifying the fate of the forcibly disappeared.

The delegation underscored the importance of establishing binding mechanisms for all parties to respect and implement UN resolutions without delay, as strict and complete implementation of international resolutions is the only way to achieve stability and sustainable peace in Syria.