Australian Statement

Australia thanks the Commission of Inquiry for its update.

The Syrian people have endured a decade of conflict, marked by persistent violations and abuses of human rights. Australia condemns the ongoing, deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations in Syria, including the recent shelling of civilian buildings in Idlib and the attack on the al-Shifa hospital in Afrin.

We are also deeply disturbed by the recent determination by the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons of 17 cases of use or likely use of chemical weapons in Syria. The use of chemical weapons –under any circumstances – is reprehensible and a violation of international law.

Australia remains committed to religious freedom and is deeply concerned by the ongoing suffering of religious minorities, including the Assyrian and Yazidi communities.

Australia calls for the renewal of the cross-border mechanism under Security Council Resolution 2533, which authorises the Bab al-Hawa border crossing into Syria, to prevent further deterioration of the dire humanitarian situation in northwest Syria. The crossing is vital for the provision of humanitarian assistance for millions of vulnerable Syrians.

The recent Presidential elections were not part of the political process called for by Security Council Resolution 2254. What more can be done to galvanise meaningful engagement by all parties towards a political solution to the conflict?