Statement by H.E. Ambassador MIKANAGI Tomohiro, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on Syria’s Political & Humanitarian Situation

Thank you, Mr. President.
 
I thank Deputy Special Envoy Ms. Rochdi and OCHA Director Ms. Wosornu for their informative briefings. I also thank Ms. Sawsan for her very powerful remarks.
 
The conflict in Lebanon that has escalated since September continues to have a profound impact on Syria, with 540,000 Syrians and Lebanese reported to have entered the country, 75% of whom are women and children. In addition, Israeli airstrikes on targets inside Syria have escalated, resulting in an increase in civilian casualties.
 
Conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon must not spill over into the entire region and cause further tragedy. Japan once again calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. We also urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and work diligently toward a diplomatic solution in order to avoid further escalation in the region.
 
Japan has done its utmost to provide assistance to those facing difficulty. On October 29, in response to the deteriorating situation in Syria affected by the conflict in Lebanon, the Government of Japan decided to provide a new emergency grant aid which amounts 10 million US dollars. Through this financial outlay, we will provide humanitarian assistance such as daily necessities, food, water and sanitation through UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF and UNDP.
 
Mr. President,
 
Even putting the spillover from Lebanon aside, the humanitarian situation in Syria remains extremely serious. According to the UN, contributions to the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) are only 28% of what was requested. As to the problems caused by Lebanon crisis, only 17% of the Emergency Appeal announced in September has been collected.
 
We continue to call on all donors to provide whatever assistance they can to address the urgent needs of the population. If the necessary funds are not raised before winter sets in, the people of Syria could face even harsher conditions. While we must deal with other pressing issues, we must not abandon Syrian people.
 
Mr. President,
 
We emphasize that the only solution to the political stalemate in Syria is to advance the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process. It is regrettable that more than two years have passed since the last meeting of the Constitutional Committee, and people's expectations are waning, so we strongly urge that the meeting be held as soon as possible.
 
In this connection, we note that the 22nd meeting of the Astana Process was held on November 11-12 in Kazakhstan. We hope that the process will promote confidence-building among the parties concerned.
 
Also, we note that Special Envoy Pedersen is currently visiting the region including Damascus, and we hope that meaningful discussions will take place with stakeholders.
 
Mr. President,
 
It is unacceptable that the tragic situation of the Syrian people continues due to the deadlock in the political process. We call on all parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue so that the flames that are raging in the region can be extinguished and the Syrian people and other innocents can return to living in peace.
 
I thank you, Mr. President.