Pretoria - Ministers representing Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics) countries met on Thursday on the margins of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA68) to discuss issues of mutual interest.
The ministers, including South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, expressed deep concern about the on-going violence and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria.
They called on all parties to commit immediately to a complete ceasefire, to halt violence and to end all violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
Taking note of the Report of the United Nations Secretary-General, the ministers strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances, and expressed satisfaction with the recent developments that have brought renewed hope for a peaceful resolution to the Syrian conflict.
They welcomed the framework agreement for the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons reached by Russia and the United States.
“They further welcomed, in particular, the decision of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the commitment of the Syrian authorities to provisionally apply the Convention prior to its entry into force and the delivery of the initial roster,” reads a joint communique issued after the meeting.
The bloc representing developing countries reiterated that there was no military solution to the conflict and that now was the time for diplomacy.
The ministers further stressed that the elimination of chemical weapons and the political process aimed at resolving the Syrian conflict should be pursued in parallel. They also stressed that only an inclusive political process, led by the Syrians, as recommended in the Action Group on Syria Communiqué issued in 2012, could lead to peace, the effective protection of civilians and the realisation of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian society for freedom and prosperity.
Mideast
The five ministers also discussed the Middle East Peace Process, where they welcomed the announcement of the resumption of negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis as an “encouraging development”.
They reaffirmed that the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a prerequisite for building a sustainable and lasting peace in the Middle East region.
They expressed their expectation that this renewed effort will lead to a two-state solution with a contiguous and economically viable Palestinian state, existing side by side in peace with Israel, within internationally recognised borders based on those existing on 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In recalling the primary responsibility of the UN Security Council in maintaining international peace and security, Brics noted the importance of the Quartet [UN, European Union, Russia and the United States] reporting regularly to the Council about its efforts, which should contribute to concrete progress.
The meeting also touched on cyber security, where the ministers raised concerns about the reported practices of unauthorised interception of communication and data from citizens, businesses and members of governments, which they felt compromised the national sovereignty and individual rights.
They reiterated that it was important to contribute to and participate in a peaceful, secure and open cyberspace, and emphasized that security in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) through universally accepted norms, standards and practices was of paramount importance. – SAnews.gov.za
