The United States called on the international community to “stand firmly against the atrocities and ongoing violations committed by the Syrian regime,” stressing the need to ensure accountability and justice for the victims of crimes in Syria.
In a statement during the Security Council session on Syria yesterday, Friday, the Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs, Ambassador Robert Wood, said that the report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria “includes horrific accounts of arbitrary detention and torture, including rape and gender-based violence, committed by actors affiliated with the Syrian regime and militias supported by it.”
He added that the report “provides further evidence that the Syrian regime is not being truthful when it claims the country is now safe, whether for the millions who still live in fear under the regime’s control, or for the millions of Syrian refugees worldwide.” He pointed out that the report confirms that the Syrian regime “has not changed and continues to operate as usual, with devastating consequences for Syrian civilians.”
The U.S. Ambassador considered that the report “reminds us of the need to keep accountability at the core of our approach toward Syria. If officials in the Syrian regime are not held accountable for atrocities and other violations, from the bottom of the chain of command to the top, systematic brutality will not end.” He called on the members of the Security Council to “stand with us in demanding justice and dignity for the Syrian people.”
He highlighted “the importance of shedding light on efforts to ensure justice and accountability for the victims of crimes against humanity committed by ISIS, including the genocide against the Yazidis.”
He affirmed that the United States “stands with the survivors and will continue to support efforts in the Security Council to ensure accountability for the perpetrators, including supporting the Council’s efforts to preserve the evidence collected by the United Nations investigative team to ensure that third party countries can effectively investigate these crimes and prosecute their perpetrators.”
On the humanitarian situation, the U.S. Ambassador said that the United States “will continue to support United Nations agencies and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to Syrians in need.”
He mentioned that “assistance means nothing if it cannot reach the people in need. That is why the regime and all parties in Syria should allow immediate and unhindered humanitarian access – across all areas of Syria – for as long as needs persist.”
He affirmed that the United States “remains steadfast in its call, not only for cross-border access, but also cross-line, in particular to the Rukban camp in southeast Syria, where the regime and Russia continue to prevent UN aid from reaching civilians in need.”
On the political front, the U.S. Ambassador said that “as we look forward to high-level participation in New York next week, we urge representatives of the Syrian regime and its supporters to stop making excuses and work in good faith to implement Resolution 2254.”
He affirmed the United States’ support for the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, to revive the political process, calling on the Syrian regime to “commit not only to holding the Constitutional Committee meeting but also to participating meaningfully, regardless of the location.”
The U.S. Ambassador stressed that the United States “will not fund reconstruction led by the Syrian regime, and U.S. sanctions will remain in place until real and lasting progress is made toward a political solution consistent with Resolution 2254.” He noted that the U.S. presence in Syria was to combat ISIS, which still poses a serious threat to peace and security in the region.
