Mr. President,

I would like to thank Special Envoy Pedersen for his briefing. I also thank Ms. Abeer Hussain for her remarks.

As always, we actively support Mr. Pedersen’s efforts towards finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict in line with Security Council Resolution 2254.

However, as Mr. Pedersen rightly pointed out in his briefing, the political process is not advancing.

Despite his intense efforts over the last months, sixth round of the Constitutional Committee has not been convened.

Following the fake elections held last month in violation of UN resolutions, the regime is again trying to derail the Constitutional Committee.

Deputy Special Envoy Mattar has devoted sustained efforts to engage the regime in Damascus, but to no avail.

Assad and his fellow criminals are ignoring the opposition and acting in contravention of rules of procedure.

The situation cannot simply be described as a standstill. This is rather a dangerous trend of regression in terms of the work of the Constitutional Committee.

The Security Council should firmly stand against the regime’s tactics to avoid negotiating a genuine political solution.

We have been urging the opposition to continue its constructive engagement despite all these difficulties and challenges. We still believe Constitutional Committee can make progress if the regime adopts a similar approach.

It is important that the Astana process continue to function and should aim to contribute to the efforts towards achieving a political solution in Syria. The 16th meeting of Astana process is planned to be held soon.

Mr. President,

The international community must give new impetus to efforts towards reaching a political solution in Syria.

It is a major mistake not to devote enough attention to this issue.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite key actors to come together and reenergize the political process.

For such joint efforts to yield meaningful results, it is imperative to preserve the calm on the ground.

We are deeply concerned that the regime has intensified its ceasefire violations following the sham elections. Attacks carried out in June has taken a heavy civilian toll.

We call on the regime and its backers to adhere to the ceasefire. Attacks targeting civilians must stop.

On June 23rd, Turkish soldiers were wounded as a result of the regime’s attack in Idlib.

We cannot and will not remain silent in the face of such attacks. There is going to be a heavy price for any adventurous steps.

Meanwhile, PKK/YPG ramped up their attacks on civilians. This cold-blooded terrorist organization targeted the UN supported Al-Shifa hospital in Afrin on June 12, killing scores of innocent civilians and injuring many.

Al-Shifa hospital was one of the largest health facilities in northern Syria that offered thousands of medical services each month. Its coordinates were shared with the UN de-confliction mechanism.

This terrorist attack is a crime against humanity and it must be investigated by the UN.

These acts of terrorism will continue, as long as the perpetrators of these attacks are not held accountable, and they continue to receive outside support.

Latest incidents in Manbij bear testimony to the local population’s resistance to PKK/YPG’s oppression and persecution.

At least eight people were killed and scores injured as a result of live rounds fired by PKK/YPG to disperse locals protesting against its forced recruitment policies.

It is time to acknowledge that the support provided to PKK/YPG is channeled to oppress local Syrians and forcefully recruit them for terrorist acts.

I would like to remind you once again that there are no good terrorists and bad terrorists. Terrorists are all the same, evil...

Türkiye will continue to stand against PKK/YPG’s acts to terrorize the local population and attempts to consolidate its grip over the northeast through oppression.

Let me reiterate our strong determination to address the plight of the Syrian people.

Against all odds, Türkiye will persevere in seeking a political settlement that will meet the legitimate aspirations of Syrians.

While doing so, we will also continue to extend our helping hand to keep them alive against the military campaign of the Assad regime.

Mr. President,

Syrian women are the unsung heroes of this conflict that lasted for over a decade now.

Millions of Syrian women’s lives have dramatically changed overnight.

They had no choice but to cope with war on the one hand, while struggling to make it through the day on the other.

They became the main breadwinners and took many challenges head on away from their communities and traditional support system they have always relied on.

I salute all brave women of Syria like Dr. Amani Ballour who saved countless lives in an underground hospital for years in Eastern Ghouta, or Nujeen Mustafa, a staunch advocate for Syrian refugees who
made a journey in her wheelchair across countries.

Syrian women have an essential role to play in the political process and in the future of the country as Ms. Abeer Hussain now said. We should not fail them.

Mr. President,

Syrian people’s dignity should be restored. This can only be achieved with the strong support of the Security Council.

In the face of increased humanitarian needs, we need the UN cross-border mechanism more than ever. Any failure on that front will have serious negative impact on the lives of the people. This Council must authorize the mechanism without delay with additional crossings and at least for twelve months.

Mr. President,

The previous speaker has once again repeated his usual delusional allegations and shameless lies. As he is not my legitimate counterpart, he does not deserve my response.

The answer to the criminal regime he represents will be given by the Syrian people, when they save and rebuild Syria.

Thank you.