UN Council calls for 'inclusive and Syrian-led' political process

The UN Security Council has called for an "inclusive and Syrian-led" political process to be implemented after Bashar al-Assad's ouster.

The Council issued its first statement on new Syria, calling for a Syrian-led political process leading to elections and urging all nations to respect the country’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

The council said Syrians should “peacefully, independently and democratically determine their own futures” based on key principles in a 2015 council resolution that sets out a roadmap to peace calling for a new constitution and U.N.-monitored elections. It said the process should be facilitated by the United Nations and backed efforts being taken by U.N. envoy Geir Pedersen.

The statement released Tuesday night makes no mention of the Dec. 8 ouster of Assad, who fled to close ally Russia, that was led by the militant opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The Security Council reiterated support for the U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNDOF monitoring the Israel-Syria border following the 1973 Mideast war. It stressed the obligation of all parties to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement that established a demilitarized buffer zone between the countries to abide by its terms and reduce tensions.

The council statement, approved by all 15 members, underscored the importance of combatting terrorism in Syria and preventing the Islamic State extremist group from re-establishing its stronghold in the country. IS militants seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014, declaring a caliphate that ended in 2019 though IS pockets remain.

The Security Council also reiterated Syria’s obligation to respect human rights and international humanitarian law. This includes the right to seek justice and allow and facilitate humanitarian access to millions in need, the statement said.