At an emergency meeting requested by Russia, the UN Security Council discussed the air strikes carried out by the United States in Syria and Iraq following the attack on a US base in Jordan. At the Council, Switzerland expressed its concern about the regional escalation, which has steadily increased since the terrorist attacks by Hamas on October 7 and the war in Gaza, and has reached a dangerous point in the last ten days. "There is a real threat to international peace and security in the region," emphasized Switzerland's deputy ambassador to the UN, Adrian Hauri, in New York.
Switzerland called on the parties to the conflict and all actors with influence to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid further escalation in the region. "A single miscalculation can have devastating consequences," the Swiss representative told the Council. Switzerland recalled that any military action must be in accordance with international law and called on all parties to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and human rights. Only political solutions can ultimately guarantee peace and security in the region. In particular, a humanitarian ceasefire is needed in Gaza. With regard to Syria, Switzerland stated in the Council that UN Security Council Resolution 2254 calls for a ceasefire at the national level.
Statement by Switzerland on the situation in Syria and Iraq, UN Security Council, 05.02.2024
