Syria - Discussion between Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and UN Secretary-General António Guterres (21 February 2018)

At President Macron’s request, the minister for Europe and foreign affairs spoke today with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Mr. Le Drian and Mr. Guterres noted the dramatic deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Syria, especially in eastern Ghouta, which is being subjected to intense and indiscriminate bombing targeted against populated areas and civilian infrastructure.

The minster stressed the need for the international community to take immediate action on four fronts:

• an immediate cessation of hostilities, as Mr. Guterres has just called for at the Security Council;
• the adoption of a Security Council resolution that will allow for the establishment of a 30-day humanitarian truce. President Macron underscored today that this truce is essential, notably in order to allow the evacuation of those who need urgent medical care as well as the safe and unrestricted delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need;
• the introduction of a robust monitoring mechanism to ensure that the resolution is effectively implemented and observed;
• the resumption of the political process within the UN framework in accordance with UNSCR 2254.

Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit Moscow on February 27 to discuss the situation in Syria with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.