PRETORIA, South Africa: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that the United Nations is fully committed to backing a peaceful transfer of power in Syria after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
Guterres, in Pretoria as part of South Africa’s presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) nations, said the world body was “totally committed to supporting a smooth transition of power”.
“It’s our duty to do everything to support the different Syrian leaders… to make sure that they come together and are able to guarantee a smooth transition and an inclusive transition in which all Syrians can feel that they belong,” he added.
“The alternative doesn’t make any sense,” he said “Syria has enough divisions. It’s time for unity and it’s time for the re-establishment of its territorial integrity.”
Guterres also responded to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981, belonged to it “for eternity”.
“The concept of eternity is a concept difficult to define,” the secretary general said. “The Golan Heights are occupied by Israel but that occupation is not internationally recognised.
“And so, I would say that eternity would not solve the problem of the violations of the law.”
New Syria PM Says All Religious Groups’ Rights ‘Guaranteed’
Meanwhile, Syria’s new prime minister said the alliance that ousted Assad will “guarantee” the rights of all religious groups and called on the millions who fled the war to return home.
Assad fled Syria after a lightning offensive spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and its allies.
With Assad’s overthrow plunging Syria into the unknown, its new rulers have sought to assure members of the country’s religious minorities that they will not repress them.
They have also pledged justice for the victims, with HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa vowing on Wednesday that officials involved in torturing detainees will not be pardoned.
“We will not pardon those involved in torturing detainees,” said Sharaa, urging “countries to hand over any of those criminals who may have fled so they can be brought to justice”.
“Precisely because we are Islamic, we will guarantee the rights of all people and all sects in Syria,” said Mohammad al-Bashir, whom the alliance appointed as the transitional head of government.
Syria’s New Constitution
Asked whether Syria’s new constitution would be Islamic, he told Italian daily Corriere della Sera that “we will clarify all these details during the constituent process”.
Bashir, whose appointment was announced Tuesday, is tasked with heading the country until March 1.
In his interview with Corriere della Sera, which was published on Wednesday, Bashir called on Syrians abroad to return to their homeland.
“Mine is an appeal to all Syrians abroad: Syria is now a free country that has earned its pride and dignity. Come back,” he said.
He said Syria’s new rulers would be willing to work with anyone so long as they did not defend Assad.
Russia Wants Stabilisation in Syria
On Wednesday, the Kremlin said it wanted to see rapid stabilisation in Syria, as it criticised Israel over hundreds of air strikes it conducted on its neighbour over the past two days.
“We would like to see the situation in the country stabilised somehow as soon as possible,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Russia was continuing to discuss the fate of its military infrastructure in the country with Syria’s new leadership, he added.
While Assad had faced down protests, it was a lightning offensive launched on November 27 that finally forced him out.
The alliance launched their offensive from northwest Syria on the same day that a ceasefire took effect in the Israel-Hezbollah war in neighbouring Lebanon.
