Joining others, we would like to thank the Netherlands for organizing this important event and to extend our warm thanks to all the panelists.
We witness the 10th year of the human tragedy in Syria. Civilians continue to suffer from widespread violence and the absence of the rule of law. Military operations by the Syrian regime and its backers have led to massive displacement and severe humanitarian consequences. The use of chemical weapons, deliberate attacks against schools, hospitals and civil property as well as arbitrary detentions, torture, sexual violence and obstruction on the delivery of humanitarian aid, are a few examples of grave violations. Many of these acts amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Today, we once again heard about the persistent, widespread and systematic violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict and in particular by the Syrian regime and its allies. Therefore, Estonia welcomes the complementary role of the IIIM to the Commission of Inquiry in the pursuit of accountability.
Estonia, as a current member of the Security Council has been committed to fight against impunity and to preventing future atrocities. Although it is the task of the Security Council to uphold and promote international law by responding decisively to grave violations in Syria, regrettably, so far it has not been possible. Let me also emphasize that it is a prerogative of the Security Council to refer a situation to the ICC. Furthermore, Estonia has been advocating on restraining the use of veto powers in the Council in situations involving mass atrocity crimes.
Mr Chair, ending impunity and delivering justice for the victims of the most serious crimes is the responsibility of the international community as a whole. But we also have to remind Syria of its international and treaty obligations. Syria is a party to the Genocide Convention and has signed the Rome Statute but not yet ratified it. We have called on Syria to ratify the Rome Statute and to participate genuinely in the upcoming negotiations on a Convention on crimes against humanity.
Last but not least, we welcome the initiative of Netherlands to seek additional meaningful ways to ensure accountability for the serious crimes committed in Syria.
Finally, echoing the Foreign minister of the Netherlands, let “never again” really mean never again.