Print
See related documents
Resolution 2298 (2019)
Situation in Syria: prospects for a political solution?
1. Eight years after it started, the
war in Syria has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises the
world has faced since the Second World War. It continues to have
devastating consequences for the Syrian people and has so far claimed
over 400 000 lives and driven some 11.7 million to flee their homes,
including over 5.6 million to seek refuge in neighbouring countries
and beyond.
2. The conflict is not only having a destabilising impact on
the Middle East and the Arab world, but also on the European continent,
notably through the exacerbation of political and sectarian differences
within Syria; the involvement of international forces pushing their
own interests and adding to the complexity of the conflict; the growth
of Daesh and other violent terrorist groups, which also led to the
foreign fighters phenomenon and the challenges arising when they
return to their countries of origin.
3. Since the political process has now reached a critical stage,
the Parliamentary Assembly urges the international community to
unite and engage in serious efforts to reach a common agreement
without further delay, and to support unreservedly the efforts of
the newly appointed United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Mr Geir
O. Pedersen, with a view to setting up a constitutional committee,
as a necessary mechanism for political transition towards peace
and stability, based on the Action Group for Syria Final Communiqué
of 30 June 2012 and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254
(2015).
4. The Assembly is extremely alarmed about the situation of the
13 million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance, of which
one third live in areas that cannot be accessed from inside Syria,
including 2 million internally displaced persons in the so-called
Idlib de-escalation zone.
5. While welcoming the progress made in taking back areas of
Syria from Daesh and other terrorist groups, the Assembly urges
all parties involved in military operations against them to:
5.1. take all necessary precautions
to avoid harm to the thousands of civilians who are trapped in the middle
of air strikes and ground fighting, in accordance with their obligations
under international humanitarian law;
5.2. maintain de-escalation in the agreed demilitarised zone
and protect civilians.
6. The Assembly welcomes the progress made in the negotiations
by the former United Nations Special Envoy for Syria and the international
community, including within the Astana process, and urges all parties
to the conflict to:
6.1. reinforce
the ceasefire in all areas of the country, allow humanitarian convoys
to proceed, and facilitate safe, rapid, unhindered and sustained
humanitarian assistance;
6.2. mobilise funds for immediate, life-saving needs in support
of the Syrian people, particularly children, including to ensure
respect for their rights to life, adequate food, shelter and medical
care;
6.3. continue to take steps, consistent with international
law, to prevent and suppress the flow of foreign terrorist fighters
joining Daesh and other terrorist groups, as determined by the United
Nations Security Council decision, and in line with Parliamentary
Assembly Resolution 2091
(2016) and Recommendation
2084 (2016) on foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq;
6.4. create conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified
return of refugees and displaced persons, in compliance with internationally
accepted human rights and humanitarian law norms and standards, relating
to housing, land and property rights.
7. The Assembly also urges Council of Europe member States to
repatriate captured foreign fighters, and their families, who fought
with Daesh in Syria, and to bring them to trial.
8. The Assembly fully supports the sovereignty, independence,
unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic in line
with United Nations Security Council Resolutions and the Sochi final
statement of 30 January 2018.
9. Furthermore, the Assembly urges all parties to adhere to the
peace road map, in line with the Syrian-led political process, under
the auspices of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, and
seize the current opportunity to find lasting peace, by:
9.1. making progress on the establishment
of a legitimate, credible, diverse and balanced constitutional committee
to draft a constitutional reform, as a contribution to the political
settlement and the establishment of a democratic post-war Syria,
in line with the Sochi final statement;
9.2. ensuring that the constitutional committee allows for
the inclusive participation of the political opposition and of civil
society, including delegates representing Syrian experts, non-governmental organisations,
tribal leaders and a minimum of 30% of women, as proposed by the
United Nations and supported by members of the Syrian Women’s Advisory
Board and in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution
1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.
10. The Assembly considers that the Council of Europe could contribute
to the efforts of the United Nations, bearing in mind its expertise
in institutional matters and the objectives set by the United Nations
Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015). The constitutional committee
could avail itself of the experience and expertise of the European
Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) in the
future constitutional reform process.
11. Accountability for serious violations of international humanitarian
law and human rights violations, particularly the persecution of
religious and ethnic communities, as well as for war crimes and
crimes against humanity, is central to achieving sustainable peace
in Syria and facilitating a national reconciliation process and
transitional justice. Therefore, the Assembly:
11.1. calls on all parties to the
conflict, in particular the Syrian Government, Council of Europe
member and observer States and States whose parliaments enjoy observer
or partner for democracy status with the Parliamentary Assembly,
civil society and the whole international community to co-operate
fully with the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism
to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible
for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in
the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, set up by the United
Nations General Assembly, in particular by providing relevant information
and documentation;
11.2. calls for the situation in Syria, including the crimes
against humanity or even possible genocide committed by Daesh, to
be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the United
Nations Security Council, based on article 13.b of
the Rome Statute of the ICC.
12. Deeply concerned about the latest allegation of a chemical
attack in Aleppo on 24 November 2018, the Assembly:
12.1. condemns in the strongest possible
terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone, under any circumstances,
stressing that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and contravenes international
norms and principles, including the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention,
ratified by 192 States, including Syria;
12.2. deems it imperative to ensure that those responsible for
the use of chemical weapons are identified and held accountable,
and fully supports the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
13. Furthermore, the Assembly stresses that the Syrian refugee
crisis is the responsibility not only of neighbouring States and
of Europe, but of the whole international community. It expresses
its deep appreciation for the significant efforts that have been
made by the neighbouring countries – Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and
Iraq – to accommodate Syrian refugees, and, in line with Resolution 2224 (2018) on
the humanitarian situation of refugees in the countries neighbouring
Syria, reiterates its call on Council of Europe member States to:
13.1. step up financial contributions
to the United Nations Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan, to satisfy
funding requirements to support national efforts in Turkey, Lebanon,
Jordan and Iraq;
13.2. achieve more effective sharing of responsibility through
the implementation of resettlement programmes and other forms of
legal admission of refugees from the region to their countries;
13.3. use all available diplomatic means to encourage fairer
responsibility sharing with non-European Union countries.
14. Finally, the Assembly fully shares the goal of the United
Nations to end the suffering of the Syrian people and find a sustainable
and peaceful solution to the conflict through an inclusive and Syrian-led
political process that leads to the establishment of a multi-ethnic
society that includes all religious and ethnic groups in Syria and
meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.