We would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for organizing this timely meeting.

We also thank High Commissioner Bachelet for the oral update she presented on how to bolster efforts to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing people in Syria, including through existing measures and mechanisms.

The Syrian regime has been carrying out widespread and systematic attacks against its own people for more than 11 years now.

Through its continued violence on the civilian population, the regime has committed every possible grave violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

The fate of tens of thousands of missing persons and detainees, who disappeared at the hands of the regime, remains an open wound in the hearts of the Syrians.

Hardly any family is left untouched due to this brutal practice of the regime.

Almost every resolution we adopt under the UN roof reminds the international community that a stronger stance against the human rights violations of the regime is needed.

A most recent example is the Human Rights Council resolution on "The situation of human rights in Syria", of which we were a main sponsor.

This resolution, along with others, registered once again the international community’s deep concerns regarding the missing persons and detainees at the hands of the regime in Syria.

Similarly, the latest report of the Commission of Inquiry shows, yet again, how the regime has deliberately concealed the fate and whereabouts of tens of thousands of missing persons and imposed cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment on the relatives of the victims, prolonging their suffering.

Mr. President,

These documents, without doubt, are all significant in displaying the gravity of the problem.

At the same time, we need to go beyond expressions of concern and start to act.

To reveal the inhumane practices of the regime in the most explicit way.

To hold the perpetrators to account.

Türkiye is doing its part towards that objective.

The Astana platform includes a “Working Group on the Release of Detainees/Abductees, Handover of Bodies and Identification of Missing Persons”. We are working hard to ensure that this Working Group operates in a result-oriented manner.

We also take note of the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendation to establish an independent mechanism for missing persons. If pursued, the success of such an endeavor would depend on identifying the appropriate mandate. In this regard,
we consider that focusing, first and foremost, on the humanitarian aspect of the issue and working on locating the missing would be useful.

Mr. President,

We shall never forget or let others forget that the regime is the main culprit for the atrocities and violence in Syria.
“Caesar” had attested that truth. And now, the confessions of the "Gravedigger" have reaffirmed it.

We support the efforts to expose the horrors caused by the regime, including the extrajudicial killings and the accompanying mass graves.

It is important that this happens without losing focus or diluting the problem.

What is even more important however is that the regime and its backers stop their attacks on civilians and instead take concrete steps towards a permanent political solution.

There is no other option.

Thank you.