Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty, participated, upon the directive of the President of the Republic, in a ministerial meeting held on Saturday in the Qatari capital, Doha, to discuss the rapidly escalating and dangerous developments in Syria.
The meeting focused on how to achieve a ceasefire and move towards a political process that leads to a solution to the crisis, aiming to preserve Syria’s unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty, according to a statement by the foreign ministry. It was attended by the top diplomats of Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Astana Group, represented by the Foreign Ministers of Türkiye and Iran, along with Russia’s Special Envoy on Syria.
The ministerial meeting discussed the rapidly unfolding developments on the ground in Syria and ways to find a political solution to the crisis based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254. It also tackled preventing Syria from sliding further into chaos and working towards a political vision to address the situation through an inclusive political process supported by all parties.
In his speech during it, Abdelatty emphasized the importance of holding the meeting at this critical juncture to address the rapidly evolving developments in Syria. He stressed the need to maintain Syria’s unity as a red line for all parties and to preserve Syrian state institutions from collapse and fragmentation. He also highlighted the importance of a ceasefire as a crucial step to create an environment conducive to launching a political process in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, in addition to preventing sectarianism, which serves as a gateway to further instability in the region.
The Foreign Minister also underscored the importance of preventing the spread of terrorism in Syria and addressing the issue of displaced persons and refugees, ensuring their voluntary and safe return to their areas in Syria.
At the end of the meeting, the participating foreign ministers agreed to continue consultations and discussions in order to achieve a political solution in Syria, end the war, and initiate a political process that ensures the preservation of Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and stability. Towards the conclusion of the meeting, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, joined and presented his vision on the situation and ways to address the crisis from the UN’s perspective, in collaboration with the countries involved in the meeting. The foreign ministers agreed on the proposal presented by the UN Special Envoy. The meeting concluded with an agreement to issue the attached statement as the outcome of the discussions.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Abdelatty held a series of separate meetings with the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Türkiye, and Iran, in addition to the UN Special Envoy for Syria. During these meetings, they discussed the ongoing regional developments, particularly the situation in Syria and efforts to resolve the crisis.
