The United Nations Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, urged all parties in the country to de-escalate tensions and pursue a political solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. He expressed deep concern over the high risk of further escalation. Pedersen’s comments followed a meeting with members of the Syrian Negotiations Commission during their regular session in Geneva, where they discussed political developments, as well as regional and international influences on the Syrian issue. They also reviewed strategies for the next stage.
During the meeting, Pedersen briefed the Commission on his ongoing efforts in the Syrian political issue, including recent developments in the positions of various countries and the role the negotiating body can play in achieving a political solution. The Chairman of the Syrian Negotiation Commission, Dr. Badr Jamous, highlighted changes in the stance of some European countries regarding Syria, as well as the latest developments in American, Turkish, and Arab positions. He noted that the normalization efforts by some Arab countries with the Syrian regime have not yielded significant results.
Dr. Jamous voiced concerns among Syrians about potential deviations from UN Resolution 2254, stressing that it remains the only international framework capable of ensuring stability, security, and a peaceful political transition. He also criticized the UN envoy’s stance on the concept of a safe and neutral environment, emphasizing that such an environment should be the result of a political process led by a transitional governing body, as outlined in Resolution 2254. According to him, this issue cannot be addressed in advance because no party can guarantee such an environment without a political solution.
Dr. Jamous also pointed to the worsening situation of Syrian refugees globally and urged the United Nations and the international community to address this issue seriously. He called for clarifications on several matters, including the Step-for-Step approach, the issue of early recovery, and the early recovery fund, which the Syrian opposition views as ineffective and potentially beneficial to the regime, allowing it to strengthen its security and military solutions. He also requested updates on the UN Envoy’s efforts to advance the political process at the Security Council and among influential countries.
In response, the UN envoy expressed his commitment to continuous collaboration with the Syrian Negotiation Commission and its leadership. He regarded such meetings as valuable opportunities to exchange views and contextualize issues realistically. Pedersen reaffirmed that Security Council Resolution 2254 enjoys broad consensus and addresses all the challenges facing Syria. He stressed the need for ongoing Syrian-Syrian discussions between the opposition, represented by the negotiating body, and the Syrian government.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
