The participating parties in the Paris Conference on Syria issued a final statement that Enab Baladi obtained a copy of at the end of the meeting held on Thursday.

On Thursday, February 13, the French Foreign Ministry published a joint statement among the participating countries, confirming their collective desire to work together to ensure the success of the transitional process in Syria in the post-Assad phase, within a process that must be led and owned by the Syrians, in the spirit of the fundamental principles of Security Council Resolution 2254, enabling the Syrian people to build a safer and more peaceful future.

Participants also affirmed their support for holding a national dialogue conference with the participation of all segments of Syrian society, and members of the Syrian diaspora abroad, committing to support the mechanisms for comprehensive dialogue that the Syrian transitional government announced it will launch until free and fair elections are held in Syria, welcoming the transitional government’s appointment of a preparatory committee for the national dialogue conference on February 12.

The statement included recognition of the Syrian transitional government and support for its current commitment to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Syrians.

It also included providing the necessary support to the transitional government to ensure that terrorist groups cannot re-establish a safe haven in Syrian territory, combating all forms of extremism and terrorism, and preventing the return of terrorist organizations while condemning the many terrorist acts that these groups continue to commit in Syria.

Additionally, it confirmed the cessation of all hostilities in Syria, supporting the unification of any remaining parts of Syrian territory through a negotiated political settlement, and calling on all Syrian parties to fully adhere to a Syrian national agenda. It also aimed to ensure Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and relevant Security Council resolutions, including the Security Council resolution regarding the disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria and the establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping force.

The statement also included the following points:

• Mobilizing the international community to increase the size and pace of humanitarian aid, along with enhancing early recovery and development assistance to Syria to meet the needs of the Syrian people, in the context of the country’s reconstruction and the strengthening of its regional and international reintegration. It emphasized the need to work towards lifting economic sanctions imposed on Syria as soon as possible, as they hinder the interests of the Syrian people and the economic recovery and political transition, as part of a global effort to support peace and prosperity in Syria. It underscored the importance of establishing a new rapid coordination framework for aid and reconstruction in Syria, following the work done in Paris among international and multilateral donors.
• Engaging with the UN Secretary-General and the Syrian transitional government to continue exchanging information on UN activities in Syria to increase humanitarian aid, technical assistance, and support for early recovery.
• Supporting efforts led by Syria to ensure accountability, combat impunity, and address the issues of missing Syrians and foreigners, as well as supporting the implementation of a transitional justice system. It referred to the requests made by representatives of the Syrian civil society who met in Paris on February 12, recognizing the efforts driven by national justice systems and international courts, as well as numerous initiatives led by civil society to protect evidence and assist in prosecution.
• Considering the establishment of a long-term “Syrian Transition Support Group” to ensure the continuation of dialogue, sustain strategic coordination among the international community, assist the Syrian people in achieving their legitimate aspirations, and end decades of division and isolation to build a peaceful, prosperous, and stable future. It indicated that the upcoming transitional period would be crucial for upholding the principles highlighted below.

Participants agreed to make efforts to ensure the following:

• A peaceful, reliable, organized, swift, and comprehensive transition, in the spirit of the fundamental principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, so that a representative and inclusive governance can be formed that represents all components of Syrian society and includes women from the outset. The partners for Syria urged the Syrian transitional government to establish a realistic, clear, and transparent timeline for the transition and to commit to it, which includes constitutional reform and organizing free and fair elections when conditions are met, reiterating the important role the UN can play in supporting the political transition in Syria, and renewing support for the efforts of the UN Special Envoy in this regard.
• Harmonious coexistence between Syria and its neighbors, based on mutual respect, sovereignty, and respect for territorial integrity. They reminded that Syrian territory should not pose a threat to any state, nor should it be a refuge for terrorists. Also, foreign countries should not pose a threat to the Syrians, nor support any entities that may threaten the sovereignty and integrity of Syria and its territorial unity. They emphasized the importance of maintaining the gains achieved after ten years of combating the Islamic State, which continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security. They reaffirmed their determination to prevent the movement of terrorists and terrorist groups to and from Syria, given the serious threat they pose to Syria, its neighbors, and the region.
• Promoting principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, taking necessary measures to address hate speech, racism, gender discrimination, and extremism, in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2686, and defending human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.
• Securely securing and destroying chemical weapons stockpiles in cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention to which Syria is a party, and effectively combating the production and trafficking of Captagon and organized crime networks in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
• Supporting sustainable and unobstructed access to humanitarian aid for all Syrian territories and freedom of movement for displaced persons within their country through coordination and communication with the transitional government, facilitating the necessary conditions for the voluntary and permanent return of refugees, including supporting economic recovery, in line with the position of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees regarding returns to Syria, with particular emphasis on restoring property rights.
• Facilitating access to prisons in coordination with the Syrian transitional government, and establishing mechanisms to ensure accountability and combat impunity, in accordance with relevant international law, and launching efforts to address issues related to missing Syrians and foreigners.

The statement also included the necessity of acknowledging the importance of Syrian cultural heritage in the country’s development and committing to support the preservation, rehabilitation, and enhancement of Syrian heritage, along with protecting all facilities and foreign diplomatic staff.

Representatives from the governments of France, Syria, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the UAE, Britain, the European Union, the UN Special Envoy to Syria, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the United States (represented at a low level) participated in the meeting. However, the United States did not participate in the final statement.