S/PV.10071 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear a briefing by the representative of Slovenia on behalf of the co-leads of the Security Council mission to Lebanon and Syria from 2 to 7 December, namely, the representatives of Algeria, Denmark and Slovenia. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Slovenia. I shall deliver the statement on behalf of the co-leads — Algeria, Denmark and my own country, Slovenia. Two weeks ago, the Security Council undertook a historic visit to Syria and Lebanon. At the outset, I would like to thank the Syrian and Lebanese authorities for the quality of organization and the hospitality extended during the visit. I would first like to turn to Syria and begin by expressing our sincere gratitude for the assistance extended by Ambassador Olabi, his team and the transitional authorities in organizing this visit. Our visit, which took place in the days leading up to the first anniversary of the fall of the Al-Assad regime, had one clear objective: to build trust — not only the trust of the Security Council in the work of the transitional Syrian Government but, equally, the trust of the transitional Syrian Government and the Syrian people in the international community. During our visit, we engaged directly with Syrian stakeholders and assessed developments on the ground. We held constructive meetings with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and his Cabinet, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Asaad Al- Shaibani, and other senior officials. We also met with members of the United Nations country team and a broad variety of representatives of civil society, local and religious leaders from across the country and national committees, including the National Commission for Transitional Justice, the Syrian National Commission for Missing Persons and the Supreme Committee for Elections to the People’s Assembly. The visit also allowed the Council to note the extensive destruction in a neighbourhood of Damascus, while at the same time observing the sense of hope demonstrated by Syrians striving to rebuild their country. Our discussions covered a wide range of issues, including justice and reconciliation, humanitarian assistance, reconstruction, the political transition, counter-terrorism and other matters of shared concern. The breadth of these conversations reflected both the scale of the challenges and the strong desire among Syrians to move towards stability and recovery. This visit served as a clear demonstration of the international community’s solidarity with the Syrian people. We reaffirmed our strong support for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity. In this regard, several members expressed grave concern about Israel’s violations. We welcomed assurances from the transitional Syrian Government that Syria would not pose a threat to the region or to the broader international community and its stated commitment to peace and security. We conveyed a unified message: the future of Syria must be shaped by Syrians themselves, despite existing challenges. A Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political process, in line with the key principles of resolution 2254 (2015), remains essential. We also emphasized the importance of inclusivity in ensuring that all Syrians have a voice in shaping their country’s future, including through the meaningful participation of Syrian women and youth. The visit enabled members of the Security Council to witness first-hand the efforts to maintain stability and improve the economic situation in Syria, to recognize the tangible progress achieved and the remaining challenges and to further underscore that the international community stands ready to support these efforts in ways determined by Syrians and in support of peace, stability and recovery. The Council also expressed its hope of finalizing an agreement on the reconfiguration of the United Nations presence in Damascus. This would enable the United Nations, with all its instruments, lessons learned and expertise, to stand by the side of the Syrian people. We met with victims’ groups, governors from Suwayda’, Dar‘a and the coastal region and representatives of the national investigation and fact-finding committees and expressed our expectation for an inclusive political process and for transparent justice for the atrocities committed over the past 14 years and more recently. We also expressed our support for the efforts to accelerate the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking and to ensure safety and security for all components of Syrian society. And lastly, we reaffirmed our full support for the ongoing work of the United Nations, including the efforts of the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, being carried out in coordination with the relevant authorities. We look forward to continuing our engagement with Syrian representatives, here, in New York. Let me now turn to the visit to Lebanon and likewise express our sincere gratitude for the assistance extended by Ambassador Arafa, his team and the Lebanese Government in organizing it. During the visit, Council members met with President Joseph Aoun, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Minister for Foreign Affairs Youssef Raggi and engaged in frank and substantive exchanges on the path ahead for Lebanon. During these meetings, the Council discussed the Lebanese Government’s decision to ensure the State’s monopoly over arms throughout its territory and priorities related to the strengthening of the Lebanese Armed Forces, economic reform and the urgent reconstruction of southern Lebanon. Strong support was voiced for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. Council members reiterated their full support for the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) and their commitment to the responsibility to help restore calm along the Blue Line and secure a long-term solution. The Council welcomed the additional deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces to southern Lebanon. Council members also underscored the importance of supporting Lebanon’s economic and institutional reforms as a cornerstone for restoring confidence and unlocking international support for recovery and reconstruction. During the meetings, Lebanese interlocutors condemned the continued encroachment by the Israel Defense Forces on Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including through the establishment of forward positions and buffer zones north of the Blue Line and the launching of daily strikes inside Lebanon, which, they noted, are a clear violation of resolution 1701 (2006) and risk further undermining the Lebanese Government’s efforts to spread its authority across all its territory, further eroding prospects for restoring stability. The Council also met with the Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Imran Riza, and the Acting Executive Director of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Mourad Wahba. These meetings gave Council members a deeper insight into how the United Nations is supporting Lebanon across multiple lines of effort from humanitarian assistance to long-term development and institutional resilience. Furthermore, the Council met with the Chair of the cessation of hostilities mechanism, United States Lieutenant General Joseph Clearfield. The Lieutenant General gave an overview of how the Mechanism works in practice, highlighting both its achievements and constraints. Finally, the Council travelled to Naqurah, where it visited, and was provided with an operational briefing by, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), led by Major General Diodato Abagnara. Council members also visited UNIFIL position 131 and met with the peacekeepers posted to monitor and report on the situation on the ground. Council members voiced their strong support for UNIFIL and the peacekeepers in fulfilling the mandate outlined by the Council. This demands respect for the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises. While challenges and risks remain, I believe that the Council left Lebanon with renewed optimism that the Government of Lebanon is striving to strengthen its institutions, extend its sovereignty and monopolize weapons outside its control and is engaging politically to solidify the cessation of hostilities and ensure respect for resolution 1701 (2006) in a particularly challenging security environment and while under immense pressure. I am strongly convinced that the visit provided Council members with important insights and that these observations will be taken into account, as we continue our regular deliberations on resolution 1701 (2006) and UNIFIL and in the phase after its withdrawal, which starts in January 2027, with a shared commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, stability and prosperity. I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude to fellow co-leads, the representatives of Algeria and Denmark, for spearheading this visit and the exemplary cooperation among us, and to fellow Council members for the cooperation throughout the planning and conduct of the visit, which reflected the true spirit of collective responsibility that must guide the work of the Council. We are also thankful for the support provided by the Secretariat and United Nations personnel on the ground. I resume my functions as President of the Council. On behalf of the Council, I should like to express appreciation to all members of the Council and the Secretariat who participated in the mission for the manner in which they discharged their important responsibilities. I now give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.

At the outset, I would like to commend you, Mr. President, and your team for your excellent stewardship of the Security Council’s work this month. Allow me to express the deep appreciation and gratitude of the Syrian Arab Republic to you and to the representatives of Algeria and Denmark for the constructive engagement with the idea of a Security Council visit to Syria. I also thank all Council members for participating in this visit. We also express our appreciation to the staff of the Secretariat and the Security Council Affairs Division, who worked closely with their Syrian partners to ensure the visit’s success. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our colleagues in various ministries and State institutions for their tremendous efforts in making this visit a success. I would also like to thank the people of Damascus for the warm welcome they extended to the Council, despite the congested streets that they experienced. This historic visit represents the culmination of a positive international trend — one of support for Syria and the Syrian people — and is a boost to the diplomatic openness in which the new Syria is engaging. Damascus opened its doors wide to the Council, whose members it welcomed as dear guests, supporters and allies. From the moment Council members entered Syria, they will have noticed from their mobile phones the signs of Israel’s flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and the destruction it has caused in the centre of Damascus. They passed through the Jawbar neighbourhood of Damascus and witnessed the tremendous destruction and the remnants of the regime’s devastating war. However, they will also have sensed the strong will and unyielding determination of the Syrian men and women. They saw the civilization, the history and the diversity that endow Damascus with such power and beauty. They saw the difficulties that we have inherited and the Government’s efforts to address them with wisdom and prudence. They visited the People’s Palace, where they were received by His Excellency the President of the Republic, His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs and other Ministers — the very Palace that has been transformed from a symbol of isolation and injustice into one of openness at home and abroad. They witnessed how Syria has dealt responsibly with the challenges of the current phase and the efforts of officials, governors and members of investigation committees and national bodies, who have worked tirelessly to tackle and surmount those challenges. They saw the significant steps that we have taken in various fields to the extent that improvement has become a daily occurrence, not only in terms of the economy but also in other areas of life. They saw with their own eyes the new Syria, in which the Syrian Government facilitated the Council’s meetings with various representatives of civil society in a climate of complete freedom. They saw for themselves the new Syria, which celebrates its religious and ethnic diversity and regards it as a source of strength and an asset. Although they spent only a few hours in Damascus, I am fully confident that the Council members experienced its profound culture, for every stone and every corner of Damascus has a story to tell — the story of Syria, which they witnessed during their visit and which was written with their blood, passion and dignity by the Syrians, who, now more than ever, are determined to finish writing it.

I now give the floor to the representative of Lebanon.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting. I would also like to thank the representatives of Algeria, Slovenia and Denmark — the co-leads — and all members of the Council for arranging that timely and meaningful visit to Lebanon and also commend the Secretariat and all members of the mission for their efforts, which made the visit a success. The visit afforded the Council members an opportunity to hear the positions of Lebanon’s political authorities at the highest levels and to learn about Lebanon’s efforts to assert the authority of the State, deploy the Lebanese Army nationwide, secure the Army’s monopoly over weapons, launch reconstruction efforts and demonstrate its serious commitment to fully implementing resolution 1701 (2006) and the declaration of a cessation of hostilities. We also trust that their meetings with the leadership of the Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had the desired effect of giving them a full picture of the situation in Lebanon as a whole, and in the south in particular, and of the extent of the Lebanese Army’s commitment to implementing its plan for deployment and a monopoly over weapons, so as to ensure that the relevant Government decisions, resolution 1701 (2006) and the declaration of a cessation of hostilities are implemented. Nonetheless, Israel’s daily attacks remain one of the most significant challenges and threaten to undermine the Lebanese Government’s credibility in the eyes of its people as regards maintaining the security, safety and sovereignty of Lebanon. It is important to remind the Council about its responsibilities and the need for it to assume them given these developments and the serious threats posed by the Israeli Government’s calls for further escalation. I repeat the words of His Excellency the President of the Republic to Council members during the visit: “We have made our decision, and there is no turning back. Lebanon has chosen to negotiate with Israel in the belief that no good can come of war and that negotiations alone are capable of creating the conditions conducive to stability and security and resolving outstanding issues.” With that in mind, a civilian has been appointed to head the Lebanese delegation to the enhanced mechanism. Our goal now is to ensure compliance with the cessation of hostilities and to foster all the objective conditions for the enhanced mechanism to verify the complaints raised, with a view to achieving the desired objectives and thereby enabling the Lebanese Government to implement its parallel plans for political, economic, financial and social reform, all of which constitute a sustainable guarantee of security and stability in and around Lebanon. This will also allow for the launch of the reconstruction process, the return of displaced Lebanese persons to their towns once Israel withdraws from the areas it occupies and the release of prisoners and detainees. The Council members also heard Lebanon reaffirm its determination to make the most of the time remaining for UNIFIL to complete its mandate in order to continue cooperating with the Force, to ensure the security and safety of its mission and personnel, and to condemn the attacks to which the Force has been subjected. Likewise, Lebanon is committed to facilitating the orderly and safe withdrawal of UNIFIL pursuant to resolution 2790 (2025). In that connection, we wish to stress the need to avoid a security vacuum in southern Lebanon and its territorial waters, especially during the transitional phase when our armed forces are striving to deploy and to assume their responsibilities. Any such vacuum, if it occurs, would not be in the interests of regional peace and security. Accordingly, given the past and current circumstances, Lebanon considers it necessary to maintain an international force whose tasks would include, inter alia, first, securing and maintaining the Blue Line; secondly, monitoring, and reporting on, the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006); thirdly, facilitating the resolution of the 13 disputed points along the border, with a view to fully demarcating the international boundary once Israel withdraws from the territories it occupies and removes its buffer zones; fourthly, de-escalating and preventing clashes; and lastly, providing bilateral or multilateral support for the Lebanese Army. In that connection, we welcome the French Government’s announcement this morning about the convening, in February 2026, of a conference to support the Lebanese Army, in coordination with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America. We express our deep appreciation for their constructive efforts in this regard.