Syria urges US, Europe to end ‘economic terrorism’

Syria’s UN Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh made the remarks while addressing the 78th United Nations General Assembly session on Tuesday.

He said Western sanctions were illegal, immoral, and inhumane. Sabbagh added that Washington’s policy in West Asia has destabilized the region and led to the emergence of terrorism.

He stated the US undermined the Charter of the UN and other international agreements.

The diplomat called on the UN member states to join forces in establishing a new multipolar world order.

On Friday, China called on countries to lift their “illegal unilateral sanctions” imposed on Syria amid efforts by Beijing to increase its economic engagements with Damascus.

A joint Chinese-Syrian statement published by the foreign ministry in Beijing said that China will try its best to help Syria’s reconstruction efforts more than a decade after the Arab country became involved in a devastating war with foreign-backed militants.

“China opposes interference by external forces in Syria’s internal affairs… and urges all relevant countries to lift illegal unilateral sanctions against Syria,” read the statement.

The statement came during a six-day visit by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to China, a first since the start of the Syrian war in 2011.

Syria has been a target of US sanctions since 1979. Washington and its Western allies have dramatically tightened their economic sanctions and restrictions on Damascus after 2011 when the Arab country found itself in the grip of rampant foreign-backed militancy and terrorism.

The US coercive measures intensified even further with the passing of the Caesar Act in 2019, which targeted any individual and business that participated either directly or indirectly in Syria’s reconstruction efforts.

Sabbagh also censured Israel’s violation of the UN Charter and international law through the occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights.

He reaffirmed his country’s inviolable right to restore its sovereignty over the entire occupied Golan.

The ambassador went on to say that the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian cities, ports, and civilian airports are pushing the region to unprecedented levels of tension.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sabbagh stated Syria has not and will not spare any effort to stand by the Palestinian people in their struggle to restore their rights, especially their right to establish their independent state with al-Quds Jerusalem as its capital.