Fall of the Assad Regime in Syria

South African Foreign Minister Calls for Respect of Syria's Territorial Integrity and Sovereignty

On Sunday, armed groups in Syria seized control of Damascus, the nation's capital. By Tuesday, reports emerged that the Syrian opposition had authorized Mohammed al-Bashir, the head of the "salvation government" created by opposition forces, to establish an interim government in the country.
Sputnik
The sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria must be respected by all countries of the world, South African Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said on Wednesday following talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who arrived in Pretoria.

"South Africa reiterates that Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity must be respected in terms of international law and the UN Charter," Lamola said. "We hope that the Syrian people will soon begin an inclusive and Syrian-led dialogue that will lead to a peaceful transition and pave the way for a sustainable political solution reflective of the will of the Syrian people."

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The minister believes that the international community should now assist Syria in stabilizing the internal situation.

"South Africa calls on other countries to avoid exploiting the current situation for their narrow geopolitical interests. In particular, Israel must refrain from its attacks on Syria and allow the Syrian people the space and opportunity to extricate themselves from the current situation. Finally, South Africa re-emphasizes that there can be no military solution to the Syrian crisis," he said.

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces deployed troops in the buffer zone along the Syrian border to secure Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. This action follows a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared that the Golan Heights disengagement agreement with Syria, established after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, is no longer valid due to the Syrian military's withdrawal from its positions.
Netanyahu also asserted that "the Golan Heights will forever remain an integral part of Israel," despite the fact that Israel seized the territory from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967 and later annexed it unilaterally in 1981. The United Nations and the majority of countries continue to view the area as Syrian territory under Israeli occupation.