Burak Bir
13 December 2024•Update: 14 December 2024
LONDON
G7 leaders on Friday agreed that Syria’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty must be respected throughout the transition process, according to a statement by the British government.
During a virtual meeting, leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, US, and EU discussed the war in Ukraine and the latest situation in Syria in the wake of the fall of Bashar Assad regime.
Discussing the unfolding situation in Syria, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the fall of Assad’s brutal regime should be welcomed, but "we must be mindful about what comes next."
"The priority should be the safety of the Syrian people while supporting a political transition which leads to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance on behalf of all Syrians," said a statement by Starmer's office.
It noted that all leaders agreed that Syria’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty must be respected throughout the transition process and in future.
These remarks, pointing out Syria’s territorial integrity, came amid Israeli grab of the buffer zone in the Syrian territory.
Immediately following the fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, the Israeli army captured the buffer zone in Syria’s occupied Golan Heights, shortly after Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu announced the collapse of a UN-monitored disengagement agreement with Damascus.
The Israeli army mounted hundreds of airstrikes against military bases, air defense stations, and intelligence headquarters, as well as long- and short-range missile depots and unconventional weapon stockpiles across Syria.
Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.
Turning to Ukraine, Starmer said that with Russia's President Vladimir Putin "showing no sign of relenting," it is vital that they bolster support to put them in the best possible position for the future.
On X, Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, said they reaffirmed unequivocal support to Ukraine and discussed the situation in the Middle East.
"We stated our commitment to the people of Syria and will focus on supporting a peaceful transition and ensuring territorial integrity, religious freedoms and protection of minorities," he noted.
Costa added Gaza also "remains at the forefront of our concerns."
Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 44,900 victims, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last month for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.
