Security Council: Australia Committee: Security Council Country: Australia Delegate: Yousteena George William, International Community School Issue 1: the Syrian Conundrum – People Versus Regime Honorable Chairs and

Security Council: Australia

Committee: Security Council

Country: Australia

Delegate: Yousteena George William, International Community School

Issue 1: The Syrian conundrum – people versus regime

Honorable chairs and respected delegates,

The Australian Government was one of the first countries to call for action to stop the violence in Syria. Initially, they called for suppression in the Syrian authorities’ response to protests. As from April 2011, Australia applied a rolling set of targeted autonomous sanctions on Syria, which involved financial sanctions on key regime figures, an arms embargo, and restrictions on trade in the hydrocarbon, financial services and telecommunications sectors.

On the 19th of August 2011, Australia called for referring the Syrian President to the International criminal Court; so did the US and other western countries. Australian Acting Foreign Minister called on the President to minimize the clashes and also stated that ‘the people of Syria must be allowed to engage in peaceful political activity and be given the chance to determine their own future’.

On 29 May 2012 the current Australian Foreign Minister announced the expulsion highest ranking Syrian diplomat in Australia, along with one other diplomat. So did many western countries — including Bulgaria, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, the US and the UK.

Australia has provided $5 million to meet the humanitarian needs in Syria. As $2 million were given to the UN’s office for coordination in the humanitarian affairs and the rest would be given to the World Food Program.

Australia believes that this war has to come to an end and considering sending a ceasefire monitoring force to Syria for reduction of violence that is ripping the country apart.

Citations:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_war

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11266.doc.htm