Türkiye calls for removal of sanctions on post-Assad Syria

Türkiye's permanent representative to the UN on Wednesday called for the removal of sanctions and delisting measures against Syria to support the country's recovery.

"While the end of the (Bashar) Assad regime brings hope for the Syrian people and the region, the challenges ahead remain immense," Ahmet Yildiz said at a UN Security Council session on Syria.

He said that Syrians endured "years of unimaginable suffering and widespread destruction" under the Assad regime. "We must ensure accountability for the human rights violations and uses of chemical weapons by the Assad regime."

"In light of the dramatically changed dynamics in Syria, it is imperative that we adapt our approaches to meet the pressing needs of the Syrian people," he said. "The international community must adopt a constructive approach and facilitate a smooth transition in Syria."

Emphasizing the need for "swift and concrete actions" to restore the daily lives of Syrians, Yildiz said: "It is time for the international community to shift its focus from exclusively providing humanitarian aid to actively supporting Syria's stabilization, early recovery and reconstruction."

"We also believe it is time for this Council to seriously consider the removal of sanctions and delisting measures. Recovery and reconstruction efforts cannot proceed without decisive action in this regard," he said.

He welcomed the general license issued by the US, but said: "It is imperative that the scope of exemptions be expanded and time restrictions eliminated."

The Turkish envoy stressed the elimination of terror groups in Syria. "There is no place for terrorist organizations such as PKK/YPG and DAESH in Syria."

Underscoring Türkiye's commitment to preventing the resurgence of the ISIS (Daesh) terror group, Yildiz also urged the Council to "dispel the illusion that the YPG/SDF is separate from the PKK."

"The rebranding efforts of the PKK have failed. There can be no peaceful and prosperous Syria while the PKK continues to occupy significant portions of Syrian territory," he said.

Yildiz demanded that the PKK terror group end its control over Syria's natural gas and oil resources and return it to "their rightful owners: the Syrian people."

"Eliminating terrorism is a prerequisite for building the institutions of a peaceful and politically united Syria," he said.

He also condemned Israel's continued military operation on Syrian territory, and noted that "such actions violate Syria's territorial integrity and undermine efforts to stabilize the region."

"The international community must take concrete action to address these unlawful acts," he urged.

Yildiz called on the international community to engage constructively with Syria's new government and pledged that Türkiye will continue to support the country's recovery.

"For its part, Türkiye will continue to play a key role in restoring normalcy for the brotherly Syrian people. We will spare no effort in supporting the rebuilding of Syria's institutional, economic, and physical infrastructure," he said.