Guterres calls for an “immediate” end to Israeli attacks on Syria and the departure of troops

MADRID Dec. 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, has accused Israel of violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and has demanded the “immediate” cessation of the bombings launched on Syrian territory and the return of Israeli troops to previous positions. to the fall of Bashar al Assad’s regime.

“I will be clear: there should be no more military forces in the separation area (between Israel and Syria) than UN forces,” Guterres claimed, in an appearance before the press in New York in which he also asked for full freedom. of movement for the ‘blue helmets’.

In this sense, he recalled that the commitments signed in 1974 remain in force. “The sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity of Syria must be fully restored and all acts of aggression must end immediately,” he added.

Guterres has appealed to the “hope” that is now opening up in Syria, “a moment of opportunity” that he hopes “will not be wasted,” after “more than five decades of brutal dictatorship.” The UN, he added, will be on the side of the Syrian population in this process, in a transition that “must be inclusive, credible and peaceful.”

“Let us not underestimate the challenges that lie ahead. Although the situation has stabilized in some areas of Syria, the conflict is far from over,” he warned, alluding to the fighting that still persists in the north of the country or the risk that represents the Islamic State terrorist group.

The United Nations special envoy, Geir Perdersen, was in Damascus this week, where he met with the current authorities, and Guterres also wants to contribute to ending “the agony of uncertainty” of the missing with an independent institution. specific. At the head of this organization will be the Mexican lawyer Karla Quintana, who already has experience in searching for missing persons in Mexico.

Likewise, Guterres has called for continued work to investigate the human rights violations perpetrated in Syria, for which he has asked that all international mechanisms have sufficient resources to carry out this “vital” work.

LIFT OF SANCTIONS

The head of the United Nations has appealed in general terms for solidarity with the Syrian population, at a time when the debate has been reopened regarding the convenience of maintaining the international sanctions imposed in recent years on Damascus.

Guterres has clarified that “many things” can be done in humanitarian matters outside of this debate on sanctions, which as he recalled “were applied to the Al Assad regime.” “The situation has changed,” he added immediately during his appearance.

In this new “transition process”, he considers that “both parties” have tasks ahead of them, so he hopes that there will soon be a “first gesture” of solidarity towards the Syrian population while waiting for the “conditions” to be met. endings that do deserve the lifting of “all” punishments.