Qatar Affirms Respect of International Conventions to Protect Civilians in Armed Conflicts

New York, August 20 (QNA) - The State of Qatar affirmed respect of the international conventions approved by the international community, in particular the international humanitarian law, human rights, refugee law, the adoption of the rule of law as well as respect for the will of the people, and their options. Qatar also declared its support for the resolutions and presidential statements issued by the UN Security Council regarding the protection of civilians in the armed conflicts. in his speech during the UN Security Council's open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, Charge d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Yousuf Sultan said discussions on the said topic and adoption of resolutions and presidential statements reflects the concern of the international community to protect civilians in general and in particular in the armed conflicts. He reiterated that the international conventions contributed in protection of human rights and then the abuse of human rights constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, human rights and refugee law. He pointed to the keenness of the UN Security Council issued resolutions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, "to protect civilians and put an end to abuses of the human rights whether through the imposition of safe areas, or the establishment of international tribunals to hold trials to perpetrators of the most serious crimes, or bring the criminals before the existing international courts. He noted that the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council have issued several resolutions on the grave violations of the human rights committed by the Syrian regime against its people . Chairman of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry for Syria, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, has briefed in a report the UN General Assembly on the ongoing occurrence of war crimes ,crimes against humanity and serious violations of human rights, as well as the worsening of the humanitarian situation as a result that the Syrian regime had prevented access of humanitarian supplies to the needy, he added. Atrocities on the Syrian people constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international law of human rights, as well as violation of the obligations commonly referred to the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949, Yousuf Sultan stated. Qatar's delegation to the open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, concluded that the cripple of the UN Security Council's role in protecting civilians in the conflict zones will paralyze UN organs and limit its ability to deal with the urgent humanitarian situation. (QNA)