Mr. President,

I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their briefings.

As we have just heard, the humanitarian situation in Syria is growing worse day by day.

14.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022. This indicates a shocking increase of 1.2 million from last year.

Harsh winter circumstances have brought the living conditions of displaced persons, especially in Idlib, to the brink of destitution.

The international community has to do more to ensure that humanitarian aid continues in an increasing manner and without interruption.

There is simply no alternative to the United Nations cross-border humanitarian operation in addressing these acute needs.

This is a fact and empty promises will not change it.

For our part, Türkiye will also continue to facilitate cross-line convoys.

However, it is hypocritical if not malicious to call for more cross-line access to the local populations and at the same time conduct attacks against these very same people.

l wish to ask a very clear question: What is the use of cross-line operations if the regime and its backers will bomb civilians and intentionally target water and fuel facilities?

The regime and its backers must stop killing civilians so that the cross-line mechanism can deliver humanitarian aid.

It must also be underlined that humanitarian aid has become a part of regime’s shameless corruption.

The regime diverts international humanitarian aid channeled to the country for its own purposes.

This is unacceptable.

The Syrian people’s last resort is the generosity of international donors. Yet even that, the regime takes away.

It is shameful.

We expect the UN to answer our earlier queries on this issue.

We trust that the donors are closely monitoring this situation.

Due attention should be paid to this issue in the subsequent reporting period.

Finally, water and electricity problems caused by the regime and PKK/YPG in al-Bab and Rasulayn-Tel Abyad region should not be ignored.

We cannot allow the propaganda of these groups to find their way into the reports.

Mr President,

Delays in the political process prolong the suffering of the Syrian people.

We support and appreciate the efforts by Special Envoy Pedersen which we hope will lead to the success of the Constitutional Committee.

However, the regime has been unwilling to seriously engage in UN-led peace talks in Geneva.

It is clear that they intend to stall the process until they eliminate the opposition on the ground.

The next round of the Constitutional Committee must produce tangible results.

For this to happen, its backers must exert pressure on the regime.

Otherwise, the regime will continue to abuse this platform and further stall the political process.

Mr. President,

Türkiye will consistently support efforts to continue de-escalation on the ground, in order to create an environment in which the political solution will last.

We will also continue to support the UN's initiatives backing a political solution.

It is critical that these consultations align with the international community’s acquis on the Syrian conflict as well as the letter and spirit of Resolution 2254.

Finally, we wish to make a call to those countries that intend to normalize their relations with the regime:

Do not confuse normalization with legitimizing a criminal regime.

We need to normalize the lives of millions of Syrians who have been suffering in the hands of the regime for more than a decade.

We need to normalize the implementation of the universal human rights that the people of Syria deserve to enjoy.

We need to normalize Syria to become a democratic, secular, prosperous and secure country.

Mr. President,

DEASH remains a common threat to humanity, the complete eradication of which requires unified, coordinated strategies.

Genuine intelligence sharing is essential to fight against DEASH.

The repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters is another necessary step in this fight.

Thirdly, we must address the root causes of this conflict.

DEASH and other terrorist organisations found fertile ground in Syria because the regime not only failed to protect its own people, but began attacking them.

Until a political solution is found to the crisis in Syria, terrorist organisations like DEASH will continue to recruit people.

Mr. President,

Some actors in the region have misguidedly tied their hopes of eradicating DEASH to another terrorist organization: PKK/YPG.

Make no mistake: PKK/YPG’s goal is not to end the threat of DAESH in Syria, but rather to maintain the support it receives from certain members of the international community by keeping DEASH on the agenda.

The real fight against DAESH can only happen with the support of legitimate actors.

Those who support PKK/YPG must immediately break their ties with this illegitimate structure.

Mr President,

l also wish to remind that we are yet to receive a response to our request for a UN investigation into the attack on Al-Shifa Hospital on 12 June 2021.

Mr. President,

For ten years the Syrian people have fled the horrors of an unjust war the regime has perpetrated against its people.

Yet what most of these women, children, elderly people and disabled have found is purgatory.

It is a cruel world we live in that such a treacherous journey led them to a tent.

A tent that is no match for snow.

No match for the cruelties of the regime, DAESH, PKK/YPG.

No match for barrel bombs, for air strikes.

A tent that cannot allow for social distancing in the COVID-19 era.

A damaged tent even less so.

Enough is enough.

Mr President,

I have to repeat that, as to the hallucinatory statement made by the criminal Syrian regime representative, I do not consider him as my legitimate counterpart, his presence here is an affront to the millions of Syrians who suffered countless crimes at the hands of the regime and therefore I will not honor his delusional accusations with a response.

I thank you.