Ala: Clearing Syrian lands of mines requires int’l support away from politicization

Geneva, SANA_ Syria has reiterated its demand not to politicize the file of clearing its lands of mines planted by terrorist groups, emphasizing that the success of the efforts made in this regard requires serious international cooperation and coordination with the Syrian government, as well as lifting the unilateral coercive measures imposed on the country.

Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN and international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Hussam Eddin Ala, said that the success of efforts to clear Syrian lands of mines requires the provision of serious international support in coordination with the Syrian government as it also requires a provision of financial and technical resources, the lifting of unilateral coercive measures and supporting Syria’s efforts in combating terrorism.

Ala speech came during the 18^th Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines held in Geneva in which Syria participated as an observer.

The Diplomat emphasized that the illegal foreign presence on parts of Syrian territory, the use of mines and improvised explosive devices by armed terrorist groups in those areas, and the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan hindered the identification and clearance of all the land-mine-contaminated areas on Syrian territory.

He referred to the risks of armed terrorist groups’ using various types of mines and explosive ammunition, which they manufactured and obtained some others from countries that support them in their terrorist operations on Syrian territories, which constitute a daily threat to the lives of the population, mainly children.

The ambassador reviewed the efforts made by the Syrian government and the action plan it developed in cooperation with The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) which includes spreading awareness and education about mine risks, moving afterwards to clearing land-mine-contaminated areas and providing assistance to mine victims.

At the end of his statement, Ala stressed that achieving the agreement and clearing the world of mines require the states parties to address the existing concerns and challenges, on top of which is the translation of political pledges into financial resources to support the achievement of these goals.

Gh.A.Hassoun