The Syrian Dialogue Conference has approved the preparation of a permanent constitution. It calls for the withdrawal of Israel and the restriction of weapons to the hands of the unified state.

In its closing statement on Tuesday, the Syrian National Dialogue Conference called for Israel to withdraw from the country, affirmed the unity of its territories and rejected its division, stressing that arms should be restricted to the state and that any armed formations outside official institutions should be considered outlaw groups.

This came according to the text of the final statement that was read to the participants in the conference that was held at the Presidential People's Palace in the capital, Damascus, in the presence of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

Affirmation of the unity of Syria

The conference, which lasted for two days, stressed "preserving the unity of the Syrian Arab Republic, its sovereignty over all its territories, and rejecting any form of fragmentation and division, or relinquishing any part of the homeland."

He stressed "restricting weapons to the state, building a professional national army, and considering any armed formations outside official institutions as groups outside the law."

He condemned Israel's incursion into Syrian territory as a "flagrant violation of the state's sovereignty" and demanded its "immediate and unconditional withdrawal".

In this regard, the conference stressed "rejecting the provocative statements of the Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu), and calling on the international community and regional organizations to assume their responsibilities towards the Syrian people, and to pressure to stop the Israeli aggression and violations."

Taking advantage of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of the Golan Heights by occupying the Syrian buffer zone and Mount Hermon, and expanded its attacks on infrastructure and military sites in Syria.

Israel also announced the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria, and the deployment of its army in the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, most of whose area it has occupied since 1967, in a move condemned by the United Nations and Arab countries.

Last Sunday, Netanyahu vowed to make southern Syria a "demilitarized zone" and not allow the new Syrian army to deploy in this area.

preparing a permanent constitution

The Syrian Conference also approved in its statement the acceleration of a temporary constitutional declaration that is consistent with the requirements of the transitional phase and ensures the filling of the constitutional vacuum in a way that accelerates the work of state agencies.

In addition, he decided to form a committee to prepare a draft of a permanent constitution that would achieve a balance between powers, consolidate the values of justice, freedom and equality, and establish a state of law and institutions.

The conference also decided to expedite the formation of the interim legislative council, which would carry out the duties of the legislative authority in accordance with the standards of efficiency and fair representation.

Transitional Justice

The conference stressed the need to achieve transitional justice by holding accountable those responsible for crimes and violations, reforming the judicial system, and enacting the necessary legislation for this purpose.

In this regard, he pointed out the necessity of "establishing the principle of peaceful coexistence among all components of the Syrian people, and rejecting all forms of violence, incitement and revenge, in a way that enhances societal stability and civil peace."

He stressed the importance of "promoting freedom as a supreme value in society, as it is a precious gain for which the Syrian people paid the price with their blood, and ensuring freedom of opinion and expression."

He stressed the importance of "strengthening the culture of dialogue in Syrian society, continuing dialogues at various levels, and finding appropriate mechanisms for that."

He pointed out the necessity of "respecting human rights, supporting the role of women in all fields, protecting the rights of children, caring for people with special needs, and activating the role of youth in the state and society."

The conference approved "establishing the principle of citizenship, rejecting all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, religion or sect, and achieving the principle of equal opportunities, far from ethnic and religious quotas."

He also stressed the need to "achieve political development according to principles that guarantee the participation of all segments of society in political life, issue appropriate laws for this purpose, and emphasize political isolation procedures according to fair principles and standards."

Lifting international sanctions

Economically, the conference called for lifting the international sanctions imposed on Syria, which, after the fall of the Assad regime, have become a direct burden on the people and hinder reconstruction and the return of the displaced and refugees.

The European Union, the United States, Britain and other governments have imposed tough sanctions on Syria in response to Bashar al-Assad's military campaign to suppress popular protests that began in 2011 demanding a peaceful transfer of power.

Before the United States and the European Union announced the easing of those sanctions after the fall of Assad, without dropping them completely, stipulating that this would be done by forming a government that includes all Syrian factions, including the opposition, according to democratic standards.

The conference pointed out the necessity of "launching the wheel of economic development and developing the agricultural and industrial sectors, by adopting stimulating economic policies that enhance growth, encourage investment and protect investors, respond to the needs of the people, and support the country's prosperity."

He pointed out the necessity of "reforming and restructuring public institutions in the country, and starting the digital transformation process, in a way that enhances the efficiency of institutions, increases their effectiveness, helps combat corruption and administrative flabbiness, and considers employment criteria based on patriotism, integrity and competence."

He pointed out the "necessity of civil society institutions participating in supporting society, activating the role of civil society associations to support government efforts in reconstruction, and the state supporting civil society organizations in a way that guarantees them an effective role in achieving development and stability."

Curriculum reform

On the educational side, the conference stressed “developing the educational system, reforming curricula, and setting plans aimed at bridging educational gaps, ensuring quality education, and focusing on vocational education to create new job opportunities, and linking education to technology to ensure a better future for future generations.”

The final statement stressed that "in commitment to the principle of transparency, a detailed report will be issued by the preparatory committee, presenting the contributions and opinions of those attending the National Dialogue Conference."

He considered that "this statement represents a national covenant and charter to which all active forces are committed, and it is a fundamental step in the process of building the new Syrian state, a state of freedom, justice and law."

On February 12, Shara issued a decision to form a preparatory committee for the National Dialogue Conference, while the latter set the 24th and 25th of the same month as the date for its convening.

The conference was launched on Monday, with the attendance of all segments of society.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of Damascus and other cities, ending 61 years of the bloody Baath Party regime and 53 years of Assad family rule.

On January 29, 2025, the Syrian administration announced the appointment of Sharaa as president of the country during the transitional period, in addition to other decisions including the dissolution of the armed factions and security services of the previous regime, the People's Assembly (parliament), the Baath Party that ruled the country for decades, and the cancellation of the constitution.

Source: Anadolu Agency