Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the emergency UN Security Council meeting on Syria.
President, I will make three points today.
First, this remains a pivotal, but fragile, moment for Syria as it seeks a more stable and prosperous future. A peaceful and secure country is in the interests of all Syrians, and the wider region.
There is a clear risk, as others have highlighted this morning, that the current crisis in the Middle East escalates, with serious implications for security across the region and beyond, including in Syria. We encourage all actors to avoid any activity that will further destabilise the region at this precarious moment.
Second, June marks six months since the fall of the brutal Assad regime. We welcome the positive steps the Syrian Government has taken so far in advancing a peaceful political transition.
This includes diverse Cabinet appointments and internal agreements, including with the Syrian Democratic Forces. We look forward to progress on implementation.
We welcome the formation, in recent days, of the Supreme Electoral Committee for the People's Assembly Elections.
This is an important step in building legislative and electoral processes that serve the Syrian people and keeping up momentum on the transition process.
We urge those involved in the process to prioritise inclusivity and representation in the appointment and election of People's Assembly members.
Finally, we note progress on accountability efforts in Syria that pursue justice for victims and survivors, and initiatives for seeking truth for the families of those still awaiting answers.
We encourage the newly formed National Commissions on Transitional Justice and Missing Persons to work in close partnership with Syrian civil society and the United Nations.
As Ms Khoulani emphasised so eloquently, it is key that efforts are transparent and shaped by the experiences of survivors and families.
We encourage the Syrian Government to continue to engage positively with UN mechanisms including the Commission of Inquiry, the Independent Institution on Missing Persons, and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, and use their expertise effectively as they lay out the next steps for their own accountability agenda in Syria.
