Kuwait focus on Syria detainees
NEW YORK, Nov 23, (Agencies): Kuwait stressed the importance of achieving “real and tangible” progress in the Syrian detainees and missing persons’ file, allowing international organizations to visit detention centers and prisons.
This came during a speech by Kuwait’s Permanent Delegate to the UN Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi on Friday evening during a session of the Security Council on the Syrian political track.
He confirmed Kuwait’s supportive position toward the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees.
In the speech, Al-Otaibi pointed to “the important progress witnessed in the Syrian political process, namely the holding of the first round of meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee”.
In this regard, he praised the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen during this year, “which contributed to reaching an agreement on the committee.
“We followed the work of this committee, which met through its enlarged body of 150 members, and also with its 45-member mini-body in Geneva during the first half of this month,” he said.
“We should commend the Syrian parties for taking this pivotal step and participating in the committee’s work,” hoping that dialogue prevails and parties engage in constructive discussions leading to understandings on the Syrian constitution.
He urged all parties to join efforts and work to achieve their legitimate aspirations, and the unity, independence, sovereignty, and integrity of Syria in accordance with Resolution 2254 and the Geneva Declaration of 2012.
He renewed Kuwait’s support for the work of the independent and impartial international mechanism, as well as the commission of inquiry established by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which was recently launched.
Al-Otaibi expressed concerns over developments in northwestern Syria, and condemnation of targeting innocent civilians, pointing to a statement issued by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the “alarming figures” it contained about the number of children killed, which exceeded 1,100 in 2018-2019.
He reiterated the call for the necessity of a ceasefire throughout Syria as stipulated in Security Council resolutions, in particular Resolution 2401.
On the other hand, Al-Otaibi affirmed his condemnation of the repeated Israeli attacks on the sovereignty and territories of Syria, in violation of the UN Charter and international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 350.
He also stressed that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict but a political settlement in accordance with Resolution 2254, which laid out a roadmap for a political transition.
The transitional phase includes several stations, including the drafting of a constitution and the holding of free elections under the auspices of the UN and includes all Syrians, including those abroad.
At least 10 people were killed and 25 wounded when a car bomb exploded on Saturday in a Syrian border town seized by Turkish-backed forces last month, witnesses and a rescuer said.
Tel Abyad was one of two border towns that saw some of the heaviest fighting when Ankara launched its cross-border offensive on Oct 9 targeting Kurdish YPG forces in northeast Syria.
The YPG — which Ankara considers a terrorist group because of its ties to PKK Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey — had for years been allied to the United States in the fight against Islamic State. Turkey began the incursion after President Donald Trump pulled US troops out of the area.
Saturday’s blast caused extensive damage to a main street in Tel Abyad, sending thick smoke into the air above the wreckage, videos posted on social media showed.