29 April 2024

The Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), in collaboration with the Stabilization Support Unit (SSU) and Conflict Mediation Solutions (CMS), held on Monday a side-event entitled “Safe, Calm and Neutral Environment: Unpacking a Key Concept” on the sidelines of the Brussels VIII Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria. The session aimed at presenting the outcomes of the sessions that were held recently inside Syria and Türkiye.

An SNC delegation comprising SNC President, Dr. Bader Jamous, and SNC members, Tarek al-Kurdi, Alise Mofrej and Ibrahim al-Jabawi, took part in the event which tackled the safe and neutral environment as provided for in UNSCR 2254 as a fundamental element in the endeavor to achieve stabilization and peace in Syria under the supervision of a transitional governing body.
The panelists included the SNC President, Dr. Bader Jamous, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Ethan Goldrich, Director General of Syria at the MFA of Türkiye, Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Head of Egypt and the East Section in the French MFA, Maria Wadjinny. The session was moderated by Aylin Türer-Strzelczyk, Director of the Syria Peace Initiative (SPI) program of GIZ. In addition, the SSU Advisor, Mr. Abdulhamid Awwak, CMS’s Malek al-Abdeh, and Mr. Mohammad Alshlash from the Democratic Transition also spoke during the event.

The SNC President discussed the tasks of the transitional governing body as provided for in the Geneva Communique and UNSCR 2254 including to ensure a safe and neutral environment and overseeing it during the political transition. He highlighted that it was absurd to suggest that a neutral and safe environment can be introduced by the Syrian regime when it is practically unwilling and unable in any way to ensure such an environment nor can it be trusted to be partner to it. He pointed out that the regime continues to employ the same security and military solutions and seeks to establish its power by force and punish the Syrian people by trying to compel them into subservience through the use of violence. Jamous stressed that a safe and neutral environment was one of the baskets that the TGB must work on during the political transition period as indicated in UN resolutions.

The event, which was attended by diplomats, international representatives and researchers, attempted to shed light on this important issue by describing and analyzing the kind of environment which the TGB will need to further political transition and hold fair and free elections in Syria which could guarantee a sustainable ceasefire and a transformation of the conflict setting and promotion of conditions conducive to progress in political negotiations. It would further help early recovery efforts and the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees and IDPs.
The discussion touched on the possibility of achieving this through building on the multi-fold network of relations among communities and across Syrian geographies through integrated stabilization programs in the various areas of control. It also tackled the political significance and complex dynamics of the concept of safe and neutral environment and how can civil society contribute to it as a mobilizing and unifying effort to maintain the unity of Syria and its social cohesion as well as the political solution in line with UNSCR 2254.