22nd High-Level Meeting on Syria in Astana Format Held in Astana on November 11-12

The 22nd High-Level Meeting on Syria in the Astana format took place in Astana on November 11-12, 2024. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting assessed the regional developments' reflections on Syria, as well as discussing the security, humanitarian, and economic situation on the ground, along with counter-terrorism efforts. Emphasis was placed on the possibilities for revitalizing the political process, seen as the only path to a comprehensive resolution of the conflict in Syria.

The Joint Statement regarding the 22nd High-Level Meeting on Syria in the Astana Format conducted by representatives of Iran, Russia, and Turkey is as follows:

"1. They have discussed the latest international and regional developments, highlighting the leading role of the Astana Process in achieving a lasting resolution to the Syrian crisis. 2. They expressed strong condemnations and deep concerns regarding Israel's ongoing massacres and attacks in Gaza, as well as its assaults in Lebanon and the West Bank. They called upon the international community, primarily the UN Security Council (UNSC), to ensure an urgent and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and unobstructed humanitarian aid deliveries to the region. They called for an urgent ceasefire in Lebanon, underscoring the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701 (2006), and emphasized the need for urgent humanitarian aid to Lebanon, which has suffered mass civilian casualties and extensive infrastructure destruction. They voiced great concern over the deliberate targeting of UNIFIL by Israeli armed forces. They acknowledged the efforts of the Syrian Arab Republic government in accepting hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee from Lebanon into its territory. They decided to continue consultations to prevent the negative repercussions of these Israeli actions across the region. 3. They acknowledged the negative impact of escalating violence in the Middle East on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. Highlighting the urgency for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN agencies, and all humanitarian actors to develop an emergency response for those forced to flee to Syria after the escalation of conflict in Lebanon, they condemned all Israeli military attacks in Syria. They regarded these actions as violations of international law, international humanitarian law, and Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, recognizing these attacks as destabilizing and tension-increasing in the region, and called for their cessation. They expressed serious concerns regarding the spread of the conflict throughout the region and condemned Israel's attacks on April 1, 2024, against the consular section of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus and Iranian territory. They reiterated the need to adhere to universally recognized international legal decisions, including UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497, which nullify all Israeli decisions and actions in this context, confirming that they have no legal effect and rejecting the occupation of the Syrian Golan. 4. They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, highlighting the necessity for respect for and compliance with these principles by all. 5. They stressed the need to enhance efforts to create favorable conditions for overcoming the consequences of the decade-long crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic and to ensure stability. 6. They emphasized the importance of combating terrorism, creating suitable conditions for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Syrians with the involvement of the UNHCR, revitalizing the political process, and enabling the unobstructed provision of humanitarian aid to all Syrians, based on mutual respect, goodwill, and good neighborly relations between Turkey and Syria. They affirmed the importance of continuing communication between Turkey and Syria based on the principle of full respect for the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of both countries. They welcomed the efforts of Russia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey in the quadrilateral format regarding the follow-up of decisions made at the Defense Ministers’ meeting held in Moscow on April 25, 2023, and the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on May 10, 2023. They underscored the importance of maintaining communication within this format. 7. They expressed their determination to continue working together to combat all forms and manifestations of terrorism and to confront separatist agendas threatening the national security of neighboring countries, including cross-border attacks and infiltrations that undermine Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They condemned the actions of terrorist groups, including the attack on the TUSAŞ building in Ankara on October 23, 2024, and those operating under various names in different regions of Syria, targeting civilian facilities and causing civilian casualties. They emphasized the necessity of fully implementing all decisions regarding northern Syria. 8. They reviewed the situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone (IDZ) in detail and underscored the necessity of maintaining calm on the ground through the full implementation of all agreements concerning Idlib. They highlighted the need to prevent any destructive activities by third parties that could further destabilize the current situation. They expressed serious concerns regarding the presence and activities of terrorist groups posing threats to civilians inside and outside the IDZ. They reached a consensus on the need to exert more efforts to achieve sustainable normalization of the situation, including the humanitarian situation within and around the IDZ. 9. They addressed the situation in northeastern Syria, agreeing that lasting security and stability in this region can only be achieved through the protection of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They rejected any attempts to create new realities on the ground under the guise of combating terrorism and local electoral initiatives, particularly those involving illegitimate self-administration initiatives in northeastern Syria. They reaffirmed their determination to confront separatist agendas threatening the national security of neighboring countries, including cross-border attacks and infiltrations occurring from west of the Euphrates, aiming to weaken Syria’s unity. 10. They reiterated their opposition to the illegal seizure and transfer of oil and other resources that belong to Syria. They drew attention to the adverse effects of these actions and the unilaterally imposed sanctions on the Syrian economy. 11. They condemned the actions of states supporting terrorism that weaken the unity of the Syrian state. 12. They expressed deep concern over the acts of separatist groups in eastern Euphrates against civilians, which include forced conscription, suppression of peaceful demonstrations, discriminatory practices in education, imposition of curricula, and restrictions on political actions, journalists, the right to assembly, and freedom of movement. They called on the international community, particularly the UN, to publicize these violations. 13. They condemned any efforts by any country to fuel the terrorist and separatist aspirations of individual ethnic and religious population groups, as well as any attempts to arm them. 14. They expressed their opinion that there can be no military solution in Syria and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a viable and lasting political process in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, facilitated by the UN, with Syrian leadership and ownership. 15. They highlighted the significant role of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, established with the decisive contribution of the guarantor countries of the Astana Format to implement the resolutions of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, in promoting a political solution in the Syrian Arab Republic. They called for a constructive approach from the Syrian parties, urging them to recommence their work as soon as possible and conduct the 9th round of the Drafting Commission. In this context, they reaffirmed their commitment to support the Committee’s work through continuous engagement with the Syrian parties and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, in his facilitator role to ensure its sustainable and effective functioning. They stressed the necessity for the Constitutional Committee to carry out its activities without bureaucratic and logistical obstacles. They called for the immediate provision of all necessary conditions for the Committee to carry out its work uninterruptedly, including overcoming the meeting location issue. They expressed their belief that, in carrying out its work, the Constitutional Committee should comply with the Rules of Procedure and Basic Working Principles to prepare and draft constitutional reform. 16. They expressed serious concerns regarding the humanitarian situation in Syria. They condemned all unilateral sanctions that violate international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter, including all selective measures and exemptions applied to specific areas of Syria that could lead the country toward collapse through the facilitation of a separatist agenda negatively affecting the humanitarian situation in the country. In this context, they recognized the conclusions of the report titled “Dynamics and Unintended Consequences of Unilateral Coercive Sanctions against the Syrian Arab Republic” published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in July 2024, and the findings from the first visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Alena Douhan, to the Syrian Arab Republic in 2023, concluding that unilateral sanctions should be lifted. 17. They emphasized the importance of continuing and increasing humanitarian aid to Syria in accordance with international law and UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182. They called for sufficient funding for humanitarian aid for all Syrians through donations, given the increased risk of food insecurity resulting from the reduction of aid programs implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP) due to budget constraints. They highlighted the extension of the permission granted by the Syrian Arab Republic government for UN humanitarian organizations to use the border crossings of Bab al-Hawa, Bab al-Salam, and Al Rai with Turkey. They underscored the importance of continuing the delivery of humanitarian aid to all Syrians through all procedures and methods approved by the UN, including cross-border and cross-line aid to northwest Syria. They emphasized the need to remove obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to increase humanitarian aid to all Syrians throughout the country without discrimination, politicization, or preconditions. 18. They called upon the international community, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations to increase their assistance to all Syrians through early recovery and resilience projects, including the restoration of essential infrastructure such as water and electricity supply facilities, sanitation, health, education, hospitals, and mine clearance operations in accordance with international humanitarian law, to support the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Syria and advance the political resolution process. 19. They highlighted the necessity to facilitate the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons to their places of residence in Syria, guaranteeing their right to return and their right to be supported in this process. They called on the international community to provide the necessary support to Syrian refugees and displaced persons and reiterated their readiness to continue engaging with all concerned parties, including the UNHCR and other specialized international organizations. They emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to create the necessary conditions in Syria for the voluntary and dignified return of Syrians. 20. They reiterated their determination to continue mutual release operations of prisoners/missing persons within the framework of the Working Group on the Release of Prisoners/Missing Persons and Identification of Remains, a unique mechanism proven to be necessary and effective for building trust among Syrian parties. They decided to increase joint efforts for the release of prisoners/missing persons and agreed on the need to expand the Group’s activities by including the issues of remains delivery and missing persons’ identification. They welcomed the desire to enhance activities within the Group. 21. They welcomed the participation of representatives from Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon as observer states in the Astana format, as well as representatives from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. 22. They expressed their sincere gratitude to the Kazakh authorities for hosting the 22nd High-Level Meeting on Syria in Astana in the Astana format. They emphasized the special role of Kazakhstan, as the initiator of the Astana process and a host country of international meetings on Syria, in ensuring the smooth operation of this unique multilateral mechanism and providing hospitality. 23. They noted the agreement recorded in the Joint Statement of the Tripartite Summit dated July 19, 2022, for the next Summit to be held in the Russian Federation. 24. They decided to hold the 23rd High-Level Meeting on Syria in the Astana format in the first half of 2025."