Thank you, Mr. President,

Let me also thank Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and Director Mudawi for their briefings.

Mr. President,

Earlier this month, when the Security Council agreed to extend the UN cross-border assistance for an additional six-month period, millions of Syrians who depend on that vital assistance and the humanitarian community breathed a sigh of relief.

We thank Ireland and Norway for their dedicated and responsible work as co-penholders of Syria humanitarian file for the last two years.

We congratulate Switzerland and Brazil for taking on this important responsibility. We expect that in the face of unprecedented needs in Syria, the humanitarian imperative will be at the center Council’s work in the period ahead.

The Council’s unanimous adoption of resolution 2672 is important and welcome, given the vital role the UN cross-border mechanism plays in the delivery of life-saving aid to 4.1 million people in northwest Syria.

The scale of the humanitarian crisis and preserving regional stability necessitate longer-term maintenance of the UN cross-border mechanism.

We renew our call on the Council members to continue to do what is right, and support the indispensable UN cross border mechanism as long as it is needed.

This should be needs-based decision, not a time-bound one.

We will continue to support the full implementation of Security Council resolutions in all their aspects, including through facilitating the cross line aid deliveries.

Mr. President,

Syria is experiencing the highest number of humanitarian needs amidst harsh winter conditions.

The season is already hitting communities with rain, unpredictable flooding and cold temperatures.

For many families among the 6.8 million internally displaced in Syria, this is their 12th winter in displacement.

Especially at IDP camps, the sole concern these days is how to get warm, often resulting in negative coping mechanisms, such as using unsafe substances for heating.

The reports about tens of people, including children who lost their lives and thousands of tents that are damaged due to winter conditions or fires are not only alarming, but also require lasting shelter solutions.

We support UN and its partners efforts to replace the short-lived and easily damaged tents with safer, more durable and dignified shelters.

Similar to Türkiye’s brick shelters project, these durable shelters can provide a decent way of life for millions of displaced Syrians.

We continue to encourage other international stakeholders and donors to prioritize funding such projects.

Mr. President,

Türkiye’s long-lasting priorities in Syria are clear and intact:
- Ensuring the security of our borders,
- Protecting Syria's territorial integrity and unity,
- Elimination of all terrorist organizations from Syria,
- Ensuring the success of political process and,
- The creation of appropriate conditions for the return of Syrian refugees to their homes in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner.

As the guarantor of the Syrian opposition and the country hosting the largest Syrian refugee population globally, Türkiye’s support to the Syrian people will continue.

We believe that a lasting solution to the conflict can only be achieved through a political process.

We expect the 9th round of the Constitutional Committee to be held as soon as possible. It is crucial to start getting concrete results from this process. We continue to communicate this message to all interested parties.

We are committed, as ever, to Security Council Resolution 2254 and to the UN principles on the return of refugees.

The UN and its agencies have a big role to play in the process of creating the necessary conditions for refugee returns as well as implementing and monitoring the returns on the basis of UN principles.

As we have done so far, we will continue to work closely with the UN on these.

Mr. President,

The PKK/YPG terrorist organization, harbored in northern Syria, is a vital threat to our security.

The terrorist organization continues to target our citizens inside our borders, as well as Syrian civilians.

This terrorist organization is also advancing its separatist agenda in north-east Syria.

It is a matter of public record now, including in Secretary Generals reports to this Council that members of PKK/YPG and its offshoot “SDF” - which is a minority in northeast Syria - oppress the Arab majority in the region, including through;
- Recruiting minors,
- Imposing their own controversial school curriculum on Arabic speaking majority,
- Closing down Arabic teaching schools and arresting Arabic teachers.

As we have done so far, Türkiye is determined to do whatever is necessary to eliminate the terrorist and separatist threat posed by PKK/YPG.

Mr. President,

We cannot allow or afford the Syrian crisis to be a frozen conflict.

The international community needs to step up efforts in support of a Syrian-led political solution. The parameters are clearly defined in Council’s own Resolution 2254.

We will not give up on our Syrian brothers and sisters, and will continue to support them in their pursuit for a peaceful, prosperous and just future.

Thank you Mr. President.