(22 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damascus, Syria – 22 January 2025
1. Wide of U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, walking into preset
2. Wide of Pedersen
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, U.N. special envoy for Syria:
"I also welcome the message I heard from the caretaker authority. And this has been stated very clearly that there should be no revenge. And the assurances that all Syrians will be protected and have a stake in the future."
4. Cutaway
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, U.N. special envoy for Syria:
"I also welcome the clear assurances I heard from the caretaker authority that there will now be a move towards a new phase, and that this phase will be inclusive, because this is really what is needed. We need to move along a path from the current realities, established in emergency conditions, and into a credible, inclusive, transparent and effective political transition process."
6. Cutaway
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, U.N. special envoy for Syria:
"The situation in the northeast, I think we should all, we are following it extremely carefully. Obviously, we need to give the negotiations between the caretaker authority and the SDF a chance. It goes without saying that also Turkey and the United States have a key role to play in supporting this. And we are hopeful that we will now allow the two parties enough time to be able to move forward so this does not end in the full military confrontation that will not serve the interests of the Syrian people."
8. Cutaway
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, U.N. special envoy for Syria:
"Just let me repeat that this is unacceptable. We have heard from the caretaker authorities very important statements. There is no excuse for what is what the Israelis are now doing. And this needs to stop."
10. End of presser
STORYLINE:
A top United Nations official called for Syrian authorities to start working on a new phase as the country grapples with the end of the government of Bashar Assad.
Geir Pedersen, the United Nation’s special envoy for Syria, affirmed the new caretaker government’s appeal for no revenge between factions.
"I also welcome the clear assurances I heard from the caretaker authority that there will now be a move towards a new phase, and that this phase will be inclusive, because this is really what is needed," Pedersen said.
"We need to move along a path from the current realities, established in emergency conditions, and into a credible, inclusive, transparent and effective political transition process."
This is Pedersen’s second visit to Syria since the fall of the Assad government.
Bashar Assad fled the country in December bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers.
Pedersen met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group now leading the new authority in Syria.
Syria’s interim rulers are trying to form a united national government and army.
Pedersen welcomed the efforts.
Pedersen also warned of ongoing violence in parts of the country, particularly in the northeast, where Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed armed groups have been clashing.
He called for the support of the international community in keeping negotiations going.
Pedersen also called for the end of the Israeli incursions into Syrian territory.
"There is no excuse for what is what the Israelis are now doing. And this needs to stop."
AP Video shot by Abd Al Rahman Shaheen
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