On instructions from my Government, and further to our previous letters regarding violations of international law and aggressive practices by United States forces present illegally in north-eastern Syria and the Tanf area in the south-east, I should like to draw your attention to the following:

On 12 May 2022, the United States Treasury Department published what it called “Syria General License 22 Authorizing Activities in Certain Economic Sectors in Non-Regime Held Areas of Northeast and Northwest Syria”. It also published responses to frequently asked questions about the exceptions covered by this so-called “licence” in areas occupied by United States and Turkish forces in north-eastern and north-western Syria.

The Syrian Arab Republic categorically rejects these so-called exceptions being advertised by the United States administration. They are pure hypocrisy and political and legal manipulation to serve malicious agendas. They are intended to support terrorist organizations and illegal separatist militias. They are an attempt to fabricate a separatist reality within the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, in flagrant violation of the provisions of international law, the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and Security Council resolutions concerning Syria, all of which affirm full respect for and a firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.

The Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the illegal United States and Turkish aggression and military presence on its territory. Those two countries are stealing strategic natural resources that are the property of the Syrian people, including oil and wheat. They are destroying infrastructure that provides basic services to all Syrians without discrimination. The grave violations and aggressive practices being perpetrated by United States and Turkish occupying forces against Syrian citizens in north-eastern and north-western Syria affect Syrian citizens throughout the country. They constitute blatant aggression and are in clear contravention of international law, the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and international humanitarian law, all of which stress the obligation to respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Member States and refrain from interfering in their internal affairs.

The Syrian Arab Republic demands an end to the occupation, the immediate and unconditional lifting of all illegal unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States of America, and an end to that country’s support for terrorist organizations, separatist Kurdish militias and their criminal practices.

The Syrian Arab Republic stresses that the problem created by the United States of America and Türkiye can only be solved by withdrawal of their occupying forces from all Syrian territory, the re-establishment of the authority of the Syrian State over all its territory and natural resources – in particular its oil, gas and wheat – and the allocation of its national resources exclusively for the benefit of the Syrian people.

In this connection, the Syrian Arab Republic calls upon Members States of the United Nations, the Secretariat, and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and agencies to do the following:

• They must reject these American practices and demand the immediate and unconditional lifting of the immoral, inhumane and illegitimate unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria and its people. That includes the so-called “Caesar Act”. Those measures are having catastrophic effects on the living and economic situation of the Syrian people and exacerbating their suffering. This so-called “licence” demonstrates that the United States is trying to fabricate a separatist reality, divide the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic and continue to plunder its wealth.

• They must insist that support for the Syrian people – especially with regard to infrastructure rehabilitation, basic services and reconstruction projects – must be implemented exclusively through the legitimate Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, without discrimination, and in all of Syrian territory.

• They must warn the United Nations and international organizations operating inside the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic of the dangers of any involvement in activities conducted under this “licence”, which is intended to violate the sovereignty of Syria and compromise its unity and territorial integrity, and of the dangers of not respecting the relevant national laws and regulations in force.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.