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| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left), Kofi Annan (second left) and Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi. |
Final Communiqué 30/06/2012
1. On 30 June 2012, the
Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, the
Foreign Ministers of China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States,
Turkey, Iraq (Chair of the Summit of the League of Arab States), Kuwait (Chair
of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the League of Arab States) and Qatar
(Chair of the Arab Follow-up Committee on Syria of the League of Arab States),
and the European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy met
at the United Nations Office at Geneva as the Action Group for Syria, chaired
by the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States
for Syria.
2. Action Group members came
together out of grave alarm at the situation in Syria. They strongly condemn
the continued and escalating killing, destruction and human rights abuses. They
are deeply concerned at the failure to protect civilians, the intensification
of the violence, the potential for even deeper conflict in the country, and the
regional dimensions of the problem. The unacceptable nature and magnitude of
the crisis demands a common position and joint international action.
3. Action Group members are
committed to the sovereignty, independence, national unity and territorial
integrity of Syria. They are determined to work urgently and intensively to
bring about an end to the violence and human rights abuses and the launch of a
Syrian-led political process leading to a transition that meets the legitimate
aspirations of the Syrian people and enables them independently and
democratically to determine their own future.
4. To secure these common
objectives, the Action Group members (i) identified steps and measures by the
parties to secure full implementation of the six-point plan and Security
Council resolutions 2042 and 2043, including an immediate cessation of violence
in all its forms; (ii) agreed on guidelines and principles for a political
transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people; and
(iii) agreed on actions they would take to implement the above in support of
the Joint Special Envoy’s efforts to facilitate a Syrian-led political process.
They are convinced that this can encourage and support progress on the ground
and will help to facilitate and support a Syrian-led transition.
Identified
steps and measures by the parties to secure full implementation of the
six-point plan and Security Council resolutions 2042 and 2043, including an
immediate cessation of violence in all its forms
5. The parties must fully
implement the six-point plan and Security Council resolutions 2042 and 2043. To
this end:
A - All parties must re-commit to
a sustained cessation of armed violence in all its forms and
implementation of the six-point plan immediately and without waiting for the
actions of others. The government and armed opposition groups must cooperate
with UNSMIS with a view to furthering the implementation of the above in
accordance with its mandate.
B - A cessation of armed violence
must be sustained with immediate, credible and visible actions by the
Government of Syria to implement the other items of the six-point plan
including:
a - Intensification of the pace and
scale of release of arbitrarily detained persons, including especially
vulnerable categories of persons, and persons involved in peaceful political
activities; provision without delay through appropriate channels of a list of
all places in which such persons are being detained; the immediate organization
of access to such locations; and the provision through appropriate channels of
prompt responses to all written requests for information, access or release
regarding such persons;
b - Ensuring freedom of movement
throughout the country for journalists and a non-discriminatory visa policy for
them;
c - Respecting freedom of association
and the right to demonstrate peacefully as legally guaranteed.
C - In all circumstances, all
parties must show full respect for UNSMIS’ safety and security and fully
cooperate with and facilitate the Mission in all respects.
D - In all circumstances, the
Government must allow immediate and full humanitarian access to
humanitarian organizations to all areas affected by the fighting. The
Government and all parties must enable the evacuation of the wounded, and all
civilians who wish to leave to do so. All parties must fully adhere to their
obligations under international law, including in relation to the protection of
civilians.
Agreed
Principles and Guide-lines for a Syrian-led transition
6. Action Group members agreed on
the following ‘Principles and Guide-lines on a Syrian-led transition’:
Any
political settlement must deliver to the people of Syria a transition that:
• Offers a
perspective for the future that can be shared by all in Syria;
•
Establishes clear steps according to a firm time-table towards the realization
of that perspective;
• Can be
implemented in a climate of safety for all, stability and calm;
• Is reached
rapidly without further bloodshed and violence and is credible.
I. Perspective for the
Future
The
aspirations of the people of Syria have been clearly expressed by the wide
range of Syrians consulted. There is an overwhelming wish for a state that:
• Is
genuinely democratic and pluralistic, giving space to established and newly
emerging political actors to compete fairly and equally in elections. This also
means that the commitment to multi-party democracy must be a lasting one, going
beyond an initial round of elections.
•
Complies with international standards on human rights, the independence of the
judiciary, accountability of those in government and the rule of law. It is not
enough just to enunciate such a commitment. There must be mechanisms available
to the people to ensure that these commitments are kept by those in authority.
•
Offers equal opportunities and chances for all. There is no room for
sectarianism or discrimination on ethnic, religious, linguistic or any other
grounds. Numerically smaller communities must be assured that their rights will
be respected.
II. Clear
Steps in the Transition
The conflict
in Syria will only end when all sides are assured that there is a peaceful way
towards a common future for all in Syria. It is therefore essential that any
settlement provides for clear and irreversible steps in the transition
according to a fixed time frame. The key steps in any transition include:
• The
establishment of a transitional governing body which can establish a neutral
environment in which the transition can take place. That means that the transitional
governing body would exercise full executive powers. It could include members
of the present government and the opposition and other groups and shall be
formed on the basis of mutual consent.
• It
is for the Syrian people to determine the future of the country. All groups and
segments of society in Syria must be enabled to participate in a National
Dialogue process. That process must not only be inclusive, it must also be
meaningful—that is to say, its key outcomes must be implemented.
• On
this basis, there can be a review of the constitutional order and the legal
system. The result of constitutional drafting would be subject to popular
approval.
•
Once the new constitutional order is established, it is necessary to prepare
for and conduct free and fair multi-party elections for the new institutions
and offices that have been established.
• Women must
be fully represented in all aspects of the transition.
III. Safety,
stability and calm
Any
transition involves change. However, it is essential to ensure that the
transition can be implemented in a way that assures the safety of all in an
atmosphere of stability and calm. This requires:
•
Consolidation of full calm and stability. All parties must cooperate with the
transitional governing body in ensuring the permanent cessation of violence.
This includes completion of withdrawals and addressing the issue of the
disarming, demobilization and reintegration of armed groups.
•
Effective steps to ensure that vulnerable groups are protected and immediate
action is taken to address humanitarian issues in areas of need. It is also
necessary to ensure that the release of the detained is completed rapidly.
• Continuity
of governmental institutions and qualified staff. The public services must be
preserved or restored. This includes the military forces and security services.
However, all governmental institutions, including the intelligence services,
have to perform according to human rights and professional standards and
operate under a top leadership that inspires public confidence, under the
control of the transitional governing body.
•
Commitment to Accountability and National Reconciliation. Accountability for
acts committed during the present conflict must be addressed. There also needs
to be a comprehensive package for transitional justice, including compensation
or rehabilitation for victims of the present conflict, steps towards national
reconciliation and forgiveness.
IV. Rapid
steps to come to a Credible Political Agreement
It is for
the people of Syria to come to a political agreement, but time is running out.
It is clear that:
• The
sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria must be
respected.
• The
conflict must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and negotiation alone.
Conditions conducive to a political settlement must now be put in place.
•
There must be an end to bloodshed. All parties must re-commit themselves
credibly to the six-point plan. This must include a cessation of armed violence
in all its forms and immediate, credible and visible actions to implement items
2-6 of the six-point plan.
• All
parties must now engage genuinely with the Joint Special Envoy. The parties
must be prepared to put forward effective interlocutors to work expeditiously
towards a Syrian-led settlement that meets the legitimate aspirations of the
people. The process must be fully inclusive to ensure that the views of all
segments of Syrian society are heard in shaping the political settlement for
the transition. The organized international community, including the members of
the Action Group stands ready to offer significant support for the
implementation of an agreement reached by the parties. This may include an
international assistance presence under a United Nations Mandate if requested.
Significant funds will be available to support reconstruction and
rehabilitation.
Agreed actions Group members will take to implement the above
in support of the Joint Special Envoy’s efforts to facilitate a Syrian-led
political process
7. Action Group
members will engage as appropriate, and apply joint and sustained pressure on,
the parties in Syria to take the steps and measures outlined in paragraph 5.
8. Action Group
members are opposed to any further militarization of the conflict.
9. Action Group
members underscore to the Government of Syria the importance of the appointment
of an effective empowered interlocutor, when requested by the Joint Special Envoy
to do so, to work on the basis of the six-point plan and this communiqué.
10. Action Group
members urge the opposition to increase cohesion and be in a position to ensure
effective representative interlocutors to work on the basis of the six- point
plan and this communiqué.
11. Action Group
members will give full support to the Joint Special Envoy and his team as they
immediately engage the Government and opposition, and consult widely with
Syrian society, as well as other international actors, to further develop the
way forward.
12. Action Group members would
welcome the Joint Special Envoy’s further convening of a meeting of the Action
Group should he deem it necessary to review the concrete progress taken on all
points agreed in this communiqué, and to determine what further and additional
steps and actions are needed from the Action Group to address the crisis. The
Joint Special Envoy will also keep the United Nations and the League of Arab
States informed.
Follow me on Twitter @NabilAbiSaab
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