United Nations S/ PV.8727 Security Council Provisional Seventy-fifth year 8727th meeting Wednesday, 19 February 2020, 10 a.m. New York President: Mr. Pecsteen de Buytswerve ....................... (Belgium) Members: China ......................................... Mr. Wu Haitao Dominican Republic ............................. Mr. Singer Weisinger Estonia ........................................ Mr. Jürgenson France ........................................ Mr. De Rivière Germany ...................................... Mr. Heusgen Indonesia. Mr. Djani Niger ......................................... Mr. Abarry Russian Federation ............................... Mr. Nebenzia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ................... Ms. King South Africa ................................... Ms. Goolab Tunisia ........................................ Mr. Ladeb United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .. Ms. Pierce United States of America .......................... Mrs. Craft Viet Nam ...................................... Mr. Pham Agenda The situation in the Middle East This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 ([email protected]). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 20-04312 (E) *2004312* S/PV.8727 The situation in the Middle East 19/02/2020 The meeting was called to order at 10 a.m. every five of the newly displaced civilians are women or children, who face specific vulnerabilities and threats Adoption of the agenda to their security. Young children are dying from the cold. The potential for further mass displacement and The agenda was adopted. even more catastrophic human suffering is apparent as an increasing number of people are hemmed into an The situation in the Middle East ever-shrinking space. The President (spoke in French): In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of Syrian Government forces and their allies have now procedure, I invite the representatives of the Syrian regained control of the entire eastern side of the M5 Arab Republic and Turkey to participate in this meeting. highway and several territories west of the highway, including western rural Aleppo. Residential areas of In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s Aleppo that previously had been subject to attacks provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following from the de-escalation area appear no longer to be in briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Geir firing range. Pedersen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, and Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary- The Turkish Ministry of Defence has announced General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency that further reinforcements were deployed inside Relief Coordinator. Syrian territory in the Idlib de-escalation zone. Those forces have reportedly deployed close to the front lines Mr. Pedersen is joining today’s meeting via video- in armoured vehicles and tanks. We have witnessed teleconference from Geneva. repeated violent confrontations between Turkish and The Security Council will now begin its Syrian Government forces. For its part, the Russian consideration of the item on its agenda. Federation is actively engaged in support of the Syrian Government’s military operations. I give the floor to Mr. Pedersen. Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and other proscribed Mr. Pedersen: Since my briefing two weeks terrorist groups remain a major presence inside Idlib. ago (see S/PV.8715), I cannot report any progress in Resolutions 2253 (2015) and 2254 (2015) call for ending the current violence in north-west Syria or in Member States to prevent and suppress terrorist acts reconvening the political process. committed by such groups and to eradicate the safe Yesterday, the Secretary-General called for an havens that they have established. However, military immediate ceasefire in north-west Syria and for operations of all parties, including actions against international humanitarian law to be upheld. I repeat and by designated terrorist groups, must respect the that call today. However, I regret to report to the rules and obligations of international humanitarian Council that hostilities, including heavy strikes from law, which include the protection of civilians and both the air and the ground, continue. As the Secretary- civilian objects. The principle of proportionality must General has stressed and as Mr. Lowcock will shortly be respected. brief Council members in more detail, we are alarmed I stressed that in high-level contacts with senior by the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation Russian and Turkish officials at the Munich Security in north-west Syria and the tragic suffering of civilians. Conference last weekend, as well as with senior The ongoing offensive has displaced nearly 900,000 Iranian officials in Tehran. As sponsors of the Idlib civilians since 1 December 2019, often multiple times. de-escalation arrangements, Turkey and Russia can and Hundreds have been killed during the same period. must play a key role in finding a way to de-escalate The hostilities are now approaching densely the situation now. Russian and Turkish delegations have populated areas, such as Idlib city and the Bab met intensively in recent days in Ankara, Munich and Al-Hawa border crossing, which has among the highest Moscow, and there have also been presidential contacts. concentration of displaced civilians in north-west Syria However, no understanding has yet emerged. To the and serves as a humanitarian lifeline. People are on the contrary, public statements from different quarters, move in freezing temperatures in search of safety, which Syrian and international, suggest an imminent danger has become increasingly difficult. More than four of of further escalation. 2/22 20-04312 19/02/2020 The situation in the Middle East S/PV.8727 As I stated in my latest briefing, I believe that I had hoped that the launch of the Constitutional through serious international cooperation, building Committee on the basis of the composition and the on and enhancing previous agreements and in the terms of reference and core rules of procedure formally spirit of Security Council resolutions and respect for agreed with the Syrian Government and the Syrian international law and Syria’s sovereignty, it would opposition could open the door to building some trust be possible to find a solution for Idlib that addresses and confidence and to a wider positive dynamic for the serious ongoing threat posed by internationally such a process. So far, that has not been the case, but proscribed terrorist groups without causing as I continue to press all with influence to work for unacceptable humanitarian suffering. For that to be immediate calm I also remain fully engaged in efforts possible, the combined resources of the international to try to unlock progress on the political track. community need to come together. I have continued to engage the Syrian parties to narrow differences on the agenda for a third session There are worrying developments elsewhere on of the Constitutional Committee, based on the strict the ground as well. The situation in southern Syria observance of the agreed terms of reference and rules remains of concern. Northern rural Aleppo has seen of procedure — something that Foreign Minister renewed hostilities, in particular in and around Afrin, Al-Moualem and I confirmed was vital when we met Tell Rifaat, Nubul and Al-Zahraa, with reports of in Damascus late last month. I have continued to civilian casualties. The resurgence of the Islamic communicate with the co-Chairs nominated by the State in Iraq and the Levant is very worrying, with Government of Syria and the Syrian Negotiations frequent attacks registered in the north-east, the desert Commission, who have been submitting and reacting region and around Homs and other areas. According to proposals from the other on a possible agenda. The to a statement issued last week by the Syrian military, co-Chair nominated by the opposition was in Geneva Syrian Government air defences responded to enemy for further consultations, and Deputy Special Envoy missiles coming from the occupied Syrian Golan. Matar met with the Government-nominated co-Chair in Damascus last week. Differences remain, but I hope In the north-east, there are unresolved tensions that we will soon be in a position to reconvene the and the presence of multiple actors. A United States- Constitutional Committee in Geneva. led coalition spokesperson stated that a United States patrol came under small-arms fire from local militia My team hosted the working group on the release members and killed a combatant. Syrian State media of detainees/abductees, the handover of bodies and says the person was a Syrian civilian. That episode the identification of missing person in Geneva as stands as a stark reminder of the need for a sustainable part of a rotation between locations chosen by its arrangement for the north-east that is inclusive of all members — Iran, Russia, Turkey and the United actors and respects and ultimately restores Syria’s Nations. The International Committee of the