Cairo/information office/19 December 2016/ HE Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has warned of any delay to handling the current tragic situation in Aleppo, noting that this would have serious repercussions on the future of Syria and the fate of its people.
Speaking during an extraordinary meeting for Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo, HE the minister stressed the need to take serious and effective steps at the Arab and international levels to solve the Syrian crisis.
HE the foreign minister said there is no justification or logic that allows the Arab League to fail to fulfill its role towards the Syrian people in the midst of these heinous crime that the Syrian regime should be held responsible for, and the grave breaches of international humanitarian law, besides the violation of the rights of innocent civilians in Aleppo and elsewhere.
He called on the Arab countries to support the move to hold an emergency meeting for the U.N. General Assembly as the only choice afforded by the U.N. charter and backed by historical precedents, to protect the Syrian people.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman stressed Qatar's stance that calls for an immediate ceasefire across Syria and the need for the Arab League to take a united stance and start working with the concerned international sides to find a mechanism that compels the Syrian regime to stop attacks against civilians, lift the siege on all Syrian regions, allow the entrance of international relief agencies and humanitarian aid to the affected areas, and ensure that civilians are allowed to safely leave Aleppo until the battles subside.
HE the minister reiterated Qatar's support for all efforts that aim to reach a political settlement for the Syrian crisis and resume the political path based on the outcomes of Geneva I on June 30, 2012, which stipulated that a transitional ruling body be formed with full powers in a way that ensures the aspirations of the Syrian people are met and the country's unity and sovereignty is preserved based on equal rights for all citizens without religious, sectarian, nationalist or gender discrimination.
HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani added that the Syrian people's ordeal means that the Arab countries must have a stance, questioning on which side they want to be; whether in defense of the Syrian people, with those who watch, or with the side that took away their lives and dignity and destroyed their future.
The minister concluded his speech by saying that Qatar backs any Arab decision and move that honestly and sincerely supports the Syrian people and protects them.