JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The leaders of the Group of Seven have reaffirmed their full support for an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process in the spirit of the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
'We stand ready to support a transition process under this framework that leads to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance that ensures respect for the rule of law, universal human rights, including women's rights, the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities, transparency and accountability,' the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union said in a joint statement.
They vowed that G7 will work with and fully support a future Syrian government that abides by those standards and results from that process.
The informal grouping of seven of the world's advanced economies emphasized the importance of holding the Assad regime accountable for its crimes and said it will continue to work with the OPCW and other partners to secure, declare and destroy Syria's remaining chemical weapons stockpiles.
The G7 group reiterated its support for the UN Disengagement Observer Force monitoring the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria.
The UNDOF was established by the Security Council in May 1974 to maintain the ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian forces in the mountainous Golan and supervise the areas of separation.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes against targets in Syria since the overthrow of the Assad regime, and called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the demilitarized zone in the strategically important Golan Heights.
Since the de facto authorities of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham armed group took control of Damascus on Sunday, Israeli forces reportedly took over an abandoned Syrian military post overlooking the city in the Golan border region and other parts of the 'areas of separation' between Israel and Syria.
Israeli forces have not only moved into parts of the separation zone, but also conducted a 'defensive' air campaign against weapons stockpiles, military facilities and assets such as airfields, as well as bombing naval vessels off the Syrian coast. Israel says the airstrikes are on a temporary basis only until new security measures are put in place.
Many areas of Syria are not under the control of HTS, with several armed groups holding territory in the south, the far north and the north-east, where Kurdish fighters have reportedly captured the town of Deir-ez-Zor. The Islamic State terrorist group's affiliates also maintain a foothold in central Syria, where US warplanes have been targeting them this week.
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