UN General Assembly
2017

Since the beginning of the war, our State policy has followed two main tracks: combating terrorism and working towards a political solution that will end the bloodshed and restore stability. On the counter-terrorism front, the Syrian Arab Army, along with its supporting forces and allies, is making daily achievements in clearing out terrorist-occupied territories and removing the terrorists themselves. Nevertheless, the threat of this plague persists as terrorists claim the lives of Syrians on a daily basis and deplete the country’s resources. We must all understand that terrorism and the underlying extremist takfiri ideology will continue to spread like a tumour throughout the world and haunt our peoples unless every one of us demonstrates a genuine will to cooperate and confront it together. Any such endeavour must respect the sovereignty of States and the interests of the people, and it must set aside the illusion that terrorism can be used as a tool for political gains and narrow interests.