All this, he told the UN General Assembly, is made worse by the failure of multilateral diplomacy and the inability of the United Nations to achieve its fundamental objectives.
“While previously we tried to promote preventive diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes, today we are witnessing more direct wars and proxy wars waged using terrorist tools,” he said.
“Instead of investing efforts and resources in achieving sustainable development for all, some blatantly deplete other countries’ resources, steal from their people and impose unilateral coercive measures that impoverish and destroy countries.”
Stating that Syria has experienced unprecedented suffering for more than a decade, he alleged that billions of dollars have been spent to erode development progress, undermine security and stability, spread chaos and fuel displacement.
“Everything that has happened has revealed the true intentions of the collective West, which are completely contradictory to the principles and purposes that formed the pillars of the foundation and function of this organization,” he said.
The Syrian minister also condemned Israel for its continued occupation of Arab territories since 1967, and for what he described as its “genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.” He added that by its actions since October 7 last year, Israel has “added a new chapter to its seven-decade criminal record.”
“(Syria) strongly condemns Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and renews its solidarity with its legitimate struggle to liberate their occupied lands and establish their independent state throughout their national territory, with Jerusalem as its capital, while upholding the right of Palestinian refugees are guaranteed to return to their home countries in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions,” he said.
He also denounced Israel’s “heinous crimes” against his country’s people in the occupied Syrian Golan, as well as its “unprecedented crime” against Lebanon.
“We emphasize the need to hold Israel accountable for the war crimes it commits, including the deliberate targeting of more than 200 war crimes personnel. UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) and other United Nations and humanitarian organizations.”
Minister Sabbagh reiterated Syria’s demand for full recovery of the occupied Golan Heights and called for an end to unilateral sanctions imposed by Western countries on Syria and its allies.
Finally, he urged all nations to “gather the courage and make the right choice” to ensure a better present and a better future for current and future generations, and to save humanity from the plague of all-out wars looming on the horizon.
He underlined the need to adhere to the rules UN Charterrespect for international law and multilateral diplomacy, and granting developing countries equal opportunities to advance their societies and achieve well-being, prosperity and sustainable development for their peoples.
