In his much-anticipated speech, the Syrian president Ahmas al-Sharaa started the first time in almost six decades that a Syrian leader has addressed the General Assembly.
Syria’s leader begins his speech by saying: “The Syrian story is filled with emotions, and it mixes pain with hope.”
“The Syrian story is a story of struggle between good and evil,” he added.
The Syrian leader has been driving home a distinct theme, that Syria is arising from decades of abuse into an era of prosperity, international cooperation, and justice.
However, he said despite the reforms his government has sought to oversee, “Israeli strikes and attacks against my country continue”.
“Israeli policies contradict the international supporting position for Syria,” he said, adding it “threatens new crises and struggles in our region”.
“In face of this aggression, Syria is committed to dialogue, and we are committed to the Disengagement of Forces Agreement of 1974 and we call on the international community to stand beside us in the face of these attacks,” he said.
Al-Sharaa outlines the extreme repression the country has overcome
Having told the gathered leaders that he comes “to you from Damascus, the capital of history and the cradle of civilizations”, al-Sharaa is outlining the six decades of repression and the unlikely victory seen last December.
“For long years, we’ve suffered injustice and deprivation and oppression. Then, we rose in claiming our dignity,” he said.
“This unique Syrian achievement and the solidarity between our peoples have led us to try to uproot sectarianism and to fight against attempts to divide our country, once again.”
Al-Sharaa called for ‘complete lifting of sanctions’
Al-Sharaa is outlining the major steps taken to restore the country and governance over less than a year.
These include establishing new laws and institutions, electing representatives, and courting international companies.
Amid this, he says, “We call now for the complete lifting of sanctions, so that they no longer shackle the Syrian people.”
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