The fall of the Assad regime in Syria, which Greece welcomes and recognizes as a defining moment for Syria and the entire region, was referred to by Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Evangelos Sekeris, during a meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Syria, stressing the importance of a smooth, fully inclusive political transition.

“Hopefully in the wake of this momentous development, Syrians deserve peace. A peace that must and can only be secured through a smooth and inclusive political transition towards a legitimate, representative and non-sectarian government based on democratic legitimacy, in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 2254,” he said.

The Greek Permanent Representative highlighted Greece’s support for the unity, independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria, calling for the protection of civilians, religious minorities and cultural heritage, with special reference to the Greek Orthodox community.

“Greece attaches great importance to ensuring the security and well-being of the historic Greek Orthodox community in Syria, which includes Greek citizens,” he noted.

Greece, he said, calls on the new Syrian authorities to demonstrate tangible steps towards inclusiveness, institution building and compliance with international humanitarian law.

“Any positive statements and messages from the new authorities must be accompanied by concrete actions to respect minorities and human rights,” the Greek permanent representative said.

Sekeris expressed Greece’s support for the UN Special Envoy’s efforts to formulate a roadmap for the constitutional review and political transition, which “must be led by the Syrians themselves and free from foreign interference.”

At the same time, he referred to concerns about the resurgence of ISIS and other terrorist organizations and stressed the need for Syria to comply with international resolutions, especially regarding chemical weapons.

The main humanitarian priority, he said, is the safe and voluntary return of refugees to their homes. Sekeris reaffirmed Greece’s support for the efforts of the UNHCR, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other relevant UN agencies.

Greece, he said, stresses the need for regional stability and calls on all parties involved to show restraint and avoid actions that could undermine the political transition in Syria.

“It is also vital that all regional actors refrain from actions that could jeopardize the political transition in the country for the sake of their own foreign or domestic policy objectives, Sekeris said.

Since the October 7 terrorist attacks, he said, instability has swept the Middle East with devastating global implications.

“As the Greek Prime Minister’s visit to Beirut on December 16 demonstrated, we stand ready to support our regional partners in this volatile environment and will continue to closely monitor regional developments and their potential impact on neighboring countries, particularly Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, Sekeris said.

The Greek Permanent Representative also reaffirmed Greece’s full support for UNDOF and the implementation of its mandate, calling on all parties to respect the 1974 Withdrawal Agreement and fully abide by its terms.

In conclusion, Sekeris stressed Greece’s long-standing connection with the Arab world and regional partners and referred to Greece’s commitment to contribute to the stability and prosperity of Syria in the future.