Egypt FM reaffirms political solution to Syrian crisis, rejects foreign intervention

Cairo, Egypt | XINHUA | Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry  reaffirmed on Thursday his country’s support for political settlement to the Syrian crisis and rejection of foreign intervention in the war-torn country.

Shoukry made the remarks during a virtual foreign ministerial meeting of the Small Group on Syria that comprises Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Britain and the United States, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The Egyptian top diplomat highlighted “Egypt’s support for efforts aimed at strengthening the work of the Constitutional Committee in order to achieve its desired goals, and the need for all concerned Syrian parties to engage positively in the work of the committee in support of the efforts for the political settlement of the Syrian crisis,” said the ministry statement.

A political solution of the Syrian issue must be in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which was unanimously adopted in late 2015 with a timetable for talks and a roadmap for peace process in Syria, Shoukry noted.

The Egyptian minister also expressed “deep concern” about the continued interventions of some regional parties in Syria and rejection of any attempts to force demographic changes in the country.

He warned that such attempts might affect reaching a final political solution “that aims to preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.”

Earlier this month, Shoukry held phone talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, during which they discussed ways to advance the political settlement of the crisis.

The Syrian internal conflict has been going on for almost a decade, claiming the lives of about half a million people and displacing millions of others, despite direct and indirect interventions of regional and international powers.

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XINHUA