Pakistan calls for shielding Syria’s fragile recovery from widening Mideast war

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 19 (APP): Pakistan has underscored the need to safeguard Syria amid the alarming escalation in the Middle East—specifically the US-Israeli war on Iran and the conflict in Lebanon— now spilling into Syria and threatening its recovery, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024.

“In such a complex and volatile environment, it is imperative that Syria is insulated from these destabilizing developments as it gradually moves toward recovery and stabilization,”Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council which debated the situation in Syria.

In this regard, the Pakistani envoy underscored the need for continuing the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process to advance in a credible, inclusive and timely manner towards the completion of institutional arrangements, including legislative structures. “We look forward to the conclusion of the Parliamentary process in the Northeast, as well as appointment of the remaining seventy members of the legislature.”

Pakistan, he said, also supports the continued engagement and constructive role of the UN.

Welcoming the January 30 agreement between the Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led coalition of left-wing ethnic militias, as a constructive step toward national integration, Ambassador Asim Ahmad called for its effective implementation through sustained dialogue, mutual trust, and a commitment to avoiding actions that could undermine confidence. Recent steps taken by the Syrian Government, including institutional appointments, were encouraging.

As regards the security transition, he said the integration of armed groups into unified national structures, effective border management, and intensified efforts to combat terrorism, including against Daesh must remain key priorities. The presence of foreign terrorist fighters continues to pose a serious threat and requires coordinated international attention.

On the economic front, the Pakistani envoy noted improvement, but said it remains fragile. The lifting of sanctions provides legal space for state activity, banking, transport, energy, and reconstruction, but the recent regional developments could undermine these efforts.

“The opening created by sanctions relief must be effectively utilized through strengthened institutions,” he said.

On the humanitarian front ,the situation remains dire for millions of Syrians, he said, stressing the importance of scaling up early recovery efforts, including through adequate funding and support for basic services, infrastructure, and livelihoods.

Israel, he said, must vacate the illegal occupation of the Syrian Golan, and fully respect the 1974 Disengagement Agreement in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolutions 338 and 497.

“Respect for Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity is imperative.”

Earlier, Claudio Cordone, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, and Joyce Msuya of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, briefed ambassadors alongside Syrian Olympic athlete Yusra Mardini, a Goodwill Ambassador with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Cordone began by addressing how “the alarming regional escalation” is impacting Syria, which continues along the path to political transition more than a year after the overthrow of the Assad regime and 14 years of civil war.

“Incidents inside Syrian territory have mainly involved the crashing of debris following interception of Iranian missiles and drones in Syrian airspace, causing civilian casualties, and one incident of shelling from Lebanon attributed to Hezbollah,” he said.

Israeli helicopter and drone operations in Syrian airspace have also increased, and Israeli forces continued to carry out incursions into Syrian territory.

Furthermore, Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon have killed both Lebanese and Syrian citizens and forced roughly 140,000 people, mostly Syrian nationals, to cross into Syria in search of safety.

“I reiterate our call in this context on Israel to fully respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adhere to the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, and refrain from any actions that could undermine Syria’s stability and political transition,” he said.

The envoy commended the Syrian Government for its engagement with regional and international stakeholders to insulate the country from further escalation and ensure that its territory is not used in ways that could widen the conflict.

Ms. Msuya, the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported on the humanitarian aspects of the crisis.

“For Syria, this escalation adds new strain at a fragile moment – one that still offers a genuine opportunity for progress,” she said.

She noted that falling debris has killed or injured several people, in addition to damaging property, while the scores of people who fled from Lebanon join some 1.5 million refugees who have returned from neighbouring countries since December 2024.

Ms. Mardini – a member of the first refugee team to compete at the Olympic Games – described herself as a child of war. She said half of all children in Syria today have never known a single day of peace.

Ms. Mardini emphasized that her homeland requires years of recovery that is not only physical. “Syria also requires reconciliation and societal recovery. A future where no religious sect divides us, and where no one group is favoured over another. We must break down the walls of division, not build new ones,” she said.

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