Denmark welcomes cautious progress in Syria transition and notes decree on Kurdish citizenship

Reporters asked whether the Security Council can play a role in verifying integration agreements and in relation to presidential decree number 13 on Kurdish citizenship and language rights. Ambassador Lesson said Denmark has been "positively cautiously" surprised by developments since Dec. 8, 2024 and that the Council recently visited Syria in a show of support for a transitional process.

She said Denmark wants to help the new transitional authorities uphold territorial integrity while encouraging inclusive governance, transitional justice and the incorporation of Kurdish communities. Lesson pointed to recent engagements in New York on missing persons and transitional justice and said the Council broadly supports mandates aimed at such processes.

"We want to encourage the very positive steps we've seen by the new Syrian transitional government and try to help them as much as we can as a council," she said, while noting continued caution and that full agreement is not assured among Council members.