BEIRUT, December 14. /TASS/. Foreign ministers from eight Arab countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Lebanon, the UAE and Saudi Arabia) have urged UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to launch a process to create a UN mission to support Syria during the transitional period.
Following their meeting in Jordan’s Aqaba, the top diplomats stressed that they were making this statement, while "supporting the role of the UN envoy to Syria and requesting the UN Secretary General to provide him with all necessary capabilities and begin work on establishing a UN mission to assist Syria in sponsoring the transitional process and assisting the brotherly Syrian people in achieving a political process led by the Syrians in accordance with Resolution 2254."
The ministers have urged to halt all military actions in Syria as well.
In a statement the top diplomats reaffirmed "the necessity of an immediate cessation of all military operations" in Syria. They emphasized the importance "of respecting the rights of the Syrian people with all its components, without any discrimination based on race, sect, or religion, and ensuring justice and equality for all citizens."
The foreign ministers expressed "absolute solidarity with the Syrian Arab Republic in protecting its unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, security, stability and the safety of its citizens." They also stressed the importance of "providing the humanitarian support needed by the Syrian people, including through cooperation with the relevant United Nations organizations" and "preparing the security, living and political conditions for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and providing all necessary assistance for this, in cooperation with the relevant United Nations organizations."
In a statement they also confirmed "the necessity of preserving the institutions of the Syrian state and enhancing their ability to carry out their roles in serving the Syrian people, protecting Syria from slipping into chaos, and working immediately to empower a police force to protect citizens, their property, and the capabilities of the Syrian state."
They also reaffirmed their "commitment to enhance efforts to combat terrorism and cooperation in combating it because it poses a threat to Syria and to the security of the region and the world, and its defeat is a collective priority."
In late November, armed opposition units launched a large-scale offensive on positions held by Syrian government forces in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces, capturing several major cities: Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Deraa, and Homs. On December 8, they entered Damascus, prompting government troops to withdraw from the capital. Bashar Assad stepped down as Syrian president and left the country, issuing instructions to ensure a peaceful transition of power. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib Province since January 2024, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government. The interim period is expected to last until March 1, 2025.