Mr President,

It has now been more than a year since Syria embarked upon a historic and long-awaited process of transformation.

8 December 2024 stand out as a defining moment in this journey.

During the anniversary, across cities and towns, Syrians filled the streets in scenes of peaceful celebration, reflecting a collective sense of hope, unity, and renewed confidence in the future.

These moments resonated far beyond Syria’s borders, symbolizing the enduring resilience of the Syrian people and their determination to reclaim peace, dignity, and national cohesion after years of profound suffering.

Despite persistent and multi-layered challenges, the Syrian Government has made notable and commendable progress during this period.

Efforts to build inclusive governance structures that genuinely reflect Syria’s rich social, cultural, and religious diversity merit sustained encouragement and international support.

In this regard, it remains essential to foster unity among all segments of Syrian society around the principle of equal citizenship, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The recent meeting between President Shara and representatives of the Alawite community from the coastal region is a welcome and meaningful step toward reconciliation, confidence-building, and the strengthening of national cohesion.

At the international level, the visit of the Security Council mission to Damascus on 4 December constituted a powerful and tangible demonstration of international solidarity with Syria at a critical juncture.

We are further encouraged by the Syrian Government’s growing engagement with the United Nations and the broader international community.

We trust that, once appointed, the future Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria will play a pivotal role in sustaining this positive momentum and in accompanying Syria along its path toward lasting stability.

Mr. President,

Notwithstanding these hopeful and encouraging developments, the overall risk environment remains high.

The recent attack targeting Syrian and American forces during their joint patrol near Tadmur once again demonstrated that DAESH continues to exploit every opportunity to regroup and carry out attacks.

We condemn the attack and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as to Syria and the United States, our partners within the Global Coalition against DAESH.

This tragic incident underscores the urgent necessity of accelerating international support for Syria in building professional, unified armed and security forces and in further strengthening its counter-terrorism capacities.

Mr. President,

Over the past year, the Syrian Government has pursued a measured, responsible, and peaceful foreign policy, taking sustained steps to restore Syria’s rightful and respected place within the international community.

It has made significant efforts to establish constructive and good-neighbourly relations with all neighbouring and regional countries, while consistently reaffirming that Syria poses no threat to its neighbours or to any other State.

However, throughout 2025, Israel’s continued attacks and repeated violations have undermined the collective efforts of the Syrian Government and the international community aimed at consolidating security and stability in the country.

Stability in southern Syria must be ensured in full accordance with the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement.

In this regard, we reiterate our call for Israel’s withdrawal from the buffer zone and from the areas it has occupied since 8 December.

Respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity remains indispensable.

We hope that in 2026 Israel will heed repeated international calls and engage constructively with Syria to create the conditions necessary for comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.

Another serious destabilizing factor remains the presence of the PKK’s extensions in Syria.

As we approach the end of the year, it is imperative that the 10 March agreement yield concrete and tangible results.

Full restoration of the Syrian Government’s authority across the entire national territory is essential.

Furthermore, the role of the Syrian Government in the process of UNHCR’s assuming responsibility for the administration of camps and detention facilities in the northeast should be further strengthened, in line with Syria’s sovereignty and with international humanitarian standards.

Mr. President,

Türkiye will continue to act as a constructive partner for all those committed to supporting stability, security, reconciliation, and sustainable economic recovery in Syria.

Thank you.