Trilateral Statement following Astana format talks

Dhaka July 21 2022 :

Joint Statement by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the President of the Russian Federation, and the President of the Republic of Turkiey, Tehran on July 19, 2022.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi,Presidentof the Russian Federation, H.E. Vladimir Putin, and President of the Republic of Turkiey,H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan gathered in Tehran on 19 July2022 for a Tripartite Summitwithin the framework of Astana format.

The Presidents:

1. Discussed the current situation on the groundin Syria, reviewed the developmentsfollowing the last virtual summit on 1 July2020 and reiterated their determinationto enhance the trilateral coordinationin light of their agreements as wellas conclusionsof foreign ministers and representatives’ meetings. Also, examinedthe latest international and regional developments and emphasized the leadingroleof the Astana Process in peaceful and sustainable settlement of the Syriancrisis.
2. Emphasized their unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unityand territorial integrity of the Syrian ArabRepublic as well as to the purposesand principles of UN Charter. Highlightedthat these principles should be universallyrespected and that no actions, nomatter by whom they were undertaken, shouldundermine them.
3. Expressed their determination to continueworking together to combat terrorismin all forms and manifestations. Condemned increased presence and activitiesof terrorist groups and their affiliates under different names in various parts of Syria,including the attacks targeting civilian facilities, which result in loss of innocent lives.

Highlighted the necessity to fully implement all arrangements related to the northof Syria.

4. Rejected all attempts to create new realities on the ground under the pretext of combating terrorism, including illegitimate self-rule initiatives, and expresses theirdetermination to stand against separatist agendas aimed at underminingthe sovereignty and territorialintegrity of Syria as well as threatening the national security of neighboringcountries including through cross-border attacks and infiltrations.
5. Discussed the situation in the north of Syria, emphasized that security and stability in this region can only be achieved on the basis of preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and decided to coordinate their efforts to this end.
6. Expressed their opposition to the illegal seizure and transfer of oil revenues that should belong to Syria.
7. Reaffirmed the determination to continue theirongoing cooperation in orderto ultimately eliminate terrorist individuals, groups,undertakings and entities, whileensuring the protection of the civilians and civilian infrastructure in accordance withthe international humanitarian law.
8. Reviewed in detail the situation in the Idlibde-escalation area and underscoredthe necessity to maintain calm on the groundby fully implementing all agreementson Idlib. Expressed their serious concernover the presence and activities of terroristgroups that pose threat to civilians inside and outside the Idlib de-escalation area.Agreed to makefurther efforts to ensure sustainable normalization of the situationin and around the Idlib de-escalation area, including the humanitarian situation.
9. Expressed grave concern at the humanitariansituation in Syria and rejected allunilateral sanctions which are in contraventionof international law, internationalhumanitarian law and the UN Charterincluding, among other things, any discriminatorymeasures through waivers for certain regions which could lead to this country’sdisintegration by assistingseparatist agendas. In this regard, called uponthe international community,particularly the UN and its humanitarian agenciesand other governmental/non-governmentalinternational institutions to increase theirassistance to all Syrianswithout discrimination, politicizationand preconditionsand in a more transparent manner.

9. Reaffirmed their conviction that there couldbe no military solution to the Syrianconflict and that it could only beresolved through the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned, UN-facilitated politicalprocess in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254.Emphasized in this regard the important role of the Constitutional Committee, createdas a result of the decisive contribution of the Astana guarantorsand the implementation of the decision of the Syrian National Dialogue Congressin Sochi. Reaffirmed the readiness to support the continuous interaction with itsmembers and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria Geir O.Pedersen,as facilitator, in order to ensure the sustainable and effective workof the next sessionsof the Constitutional Committee. Expressed the convictionthat the Committee in itswork should respect the Terms of Reference and CoreRules of Procedure to enablethe Committee to implement its mandate of preparing and drafting for popularapproval a constitutional reform as well as achieving progress in its work and begoverned by a sense of compromise and constructive engagement without foreigninterference and externally imposedtimelines aimed at reaching general agreementof its members. Underlined the necessity that it should conduct its activities withoutany bureaucratic and logistical hindrances.
10. Reaffirmed their determination to continueoperations on mutual releaseof detainees/abductees within the framework of the respective Working Groupof the Astana format. Underscored that the WorkingGroup was a unique mechanismthat had proved to be effective and necessary for building confidence betweenthe Syrian parties, and decided to further continueits work on the release of detaineesand abductees and in line with its mandateon handover of bodies and identificationsof missing persons.
11. Highlighted the need to facilitate safe and voluntary return of refugeesand internally displaced persons (IDPs) to theiroriginal places of residence in Syria,ensuring their right to return and rightto be supported. In this regard, they called uponthe international communityto provide appropriate contributions for their resettlementand normal life as well as to undertake greater responsibility in burden-sharingand to enhancetheir assistance to Syria, inter alia by developing early recoveryprojects,including basic infrastructure assets – water, electricity. sanitation, health,educations, schools, hospitals as well as the humanitarian mine action in accordancewith international humanitarian law.
12. Condemned Israeli military attacks in Syriaincluding to civilian infrastructures.
13. Considered it as violating the internationallaw, international humanitarian law,20.07.2022, 04:35 Joint Statement by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the President of the Russian Federation, and the President … sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, and recognized it as destabilizingand intensifying the tension in the region. Reaffirmed the necessity to abideby universally recognizedinternational legal decisions, including those provisionsof the relevant UNresolutions rejecting the occupation of Syrian Golan, firstand foremost UNSecurity Council Resolutions 242 and 497, which also consider alldecisions and measures taken by Israel in this regard null void and have no legaleffect.

13. In addition to the Syrian issue, theyconfirmed their intention to strengthentrilateral coordination in differentfields in order to promote joint political and economiccooperation.
14. Agreed to assign their representatives withthe task of holding the 19thInternational Meeting on Syria in the Astanaformat by the end of 2022.
15. Decided to hold the next Tripartite Summit in the Russian Federation uponthe invitation of President of the Russian Federation,H.E. Vladimir Putin.
16. The Presidents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkiye expressedtheir sincere gratitude to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. SeyyedEbrahim Raisi for graciously hostingthe Tripartite Summit within the frameworkof Astana format in Tehran.

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