ALWAGHT- The United States and its allies, during a meeting on Syrian developments in Aqaba, Jordan, issued a joint statement outlining their conditions for future engagement with Damascus.
A statement published on the British Foreign Office website Saturday night detailed discussions held during a meeting of the Arab Contact Group on Syria. The gathering included foreign ministers and representatives from Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Britain, the United States, the European Union, and the UN Special Envoy for Syria. The participants reviewed recent developments in Syria.
The statement expressed the participants’ full support for the Syrian people during this critical time, emphasizing the need to build a more secure, peaceful, and hopeful future. They underscored the importance of a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition, resulting in an inclusive, non-sectarian, and representative government, established through a transparent process aligned with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
The diplomats reiterated their commitment to Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty while respecting human rights, including those of women and minorities. They also emphasized the importance of preserving state institutions to serve the Syrian people and ensure the delivery of vital services. The statement called for unrestricted humanitarian aid access, protection of foreign diplomatic facilities and personnel, and urged all parties to cease hostilities and respect Syria’s sovereignty in accordance with the UN Charter—comments seemingly directed at Israel for its activities beyond agreed buffer zones.
Arab diplomats issued a separate statement advocating a peaceful and inclusive political transition, paving the way for elections and a new constitution. They also sought assurances from Turkey regarding its support for this process and its opposition to the partition of Syria along sectarian lines.
