Arab Ministerial Contact Committee on Syria declares solidarity with Syria, rejection of Israeli aggression

CAIRO - 14 December 2024: The Arab Ministerial Contact Committee on Syria was concluded Saturday on Jordan, condemning Israeli aggression against Syria and calling for Syrian reconciliation and democratic transition.

The committee includes Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League. The meeting was also attended by the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and the current president of the Arab Summit. 

The attendees discussed the developments in Syria and stressed:

1- Standing by the Syrian people, providing them with aid and support at this critical stage, and respecting their will and choices.

2- Supporting a peaceful, inclusive Syrian-Syrian political transitional process, in which all Syrian political and social forces are represented, including women, youth and civil society, sponsored by the United Nations and the Arab League, and in accordance with the principles, objectives and mechanisms of Security Council Resolution No. 2254.

That includes the formation of an inclusive transitional governing body with Syrian consensus, and the implementation of the resolution to move from the transitional phase to a new political system that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people through free and fair elections supervised by the United Nations, based on a new constitution approved by the Syrians, and within specific timeframes according to the mechanisms adopted by the resolution.

3- Supporting the role of the UN envoy to Syria, and requesting the UN Secretary-General to provide him with all necessary capabilities to begin establishing a UN mission to assist Syria to support and sponsor the transitional process.

4- This delicate stage requires a comprehensive national dialogue and the solidarity of the Syrian people with all its segments, spectrums, and political and social forces to build a free, secure, stable, and unified Syria that the Syrian people deserve after long years of suffering and sacrifices.

5- An immediate cessation of all military operations.

6- Respecting the rights of all the Syrian people without any discrimination on the basis of race, sect, or religion, and to ensure justice and equality for all citizens.

7- Preserving the institutions of the Syrian state and enhancing their ability to serve the Syrian people, protecting Syria from slipping into chaos, and working immediately to empower a police force to protect citizens, their properties, and the capabilities of the Syrian state.

8- Commitment and cooperation to enhance efforts to combat terrorism, which threatens Syria, the region, and the world, and thus its defeat is a collective priority.

9- Absolute solidarity with Syria in protecting its unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, security, stability and the safety of its citizens.

10- Providing the humanitarian support needed by the Syrian people, including through cooperation with the relevant United Nations organizations.

11- Preparing the security, living and political conditions for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their homeland in cooperation with the relevant United Nations organizations.

12- Achieving national reconciliation and transitional justice in accordance with legal and humanitarian standards and without retaliation.

13- Condemning Israel's incursion into the buffer zone with Syria and the chain of sites adjacent to it in Mount Hermon, Quneitra Governorates and Damascus countryside.

The incursion is rejected as a brutal occupation and a violation of international law and the disengagement agreement concluded between Syria and Israel in 1974.

The participating countries demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces, condemning Israeli raids on other areas and facilities in Syria. They emphasized that the Golan Heights is an occupied Arab Syrian land whose occupation must end, and calling on the Security Council to take the necessary measures to stop these violations.

14- Syria's security and stability are a pillar of security and stability in the region, and the participating states will stand with Syrians in the process of rebuilding their country as a unified, independent, stable and safe Arab state for all its citizens, where there is no place for extremism and no violation of its sovereignty or territorial integrity by any party.

15- Dealing with the new reality in Syria will be based on the extent of its consistency with the principles and foundations above, and in a manner that ensures achieving the common goal of meeting the rights and aspirations of the Syrian people.

16- Coordinating with the rest of the Arab countries to hold a meeting of the Arab League Council to submit the committee’s report.

17- Communicating with partners in the international community to formulate a comprehensive position that supports Syria in its efforts to build the future that the Syrian people deserve in a manner consistent with the above principles and in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.