United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made his first visit to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, during which he called on the international community to help the country rebuild and reaffirmed that the Golan Heights belong to Syria, reports infohub.kz.
In a statement from the UN press office, Guterres described Syria as "a pillar of stability in the Middle East" and emphasized that the country is "on the cusp of new opportunities." He urged the world to seize this moment to assist a nation that has endured years of conflict.
The UN chief noted that he had deliberately avoided visiting Syria since the crackdown on its people began in 2011 until the regime fell. "Today, Syria stands at the threshold of new opportunities. Now it has a chance not only to recover from conflict but also to lay the foundations for a more stable, inclusive, and prosperous future," he said.
Guterres added that no country that has endured more than a decade of conflict can recover alone and called for greater international support. The international community, he said, must "help create conditions for rebuilding the economy and infrastructure, restoring essential services, expanding employment opportunities, and facilitating the return of refugees and displaced persons."
The UN secretary-general stressed that the organization supports Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. "Violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity are unacceptable and must stop. What is happening in the region around the Golan Heights is completely unacceptable. I want to remind the international community that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory. What belongs to Syria belongs to Syria and cannot be taken away," he added.
According to Euronews, Guterres also urged countries to lift all sanctions against Syria. "I welcome steps to ease sanctions and open new opportunities for economic recovery. But all these sanctions must be lifted immediately," he said at a press conference in Damascus.