UN Secretary-General: Syrian solution must preserve unity and territorial integrity, integrate communities

A reporter asked the Secretary-General whether a federal system could resolve Syria’s conflict or would threaten its territorial integrity. The Secretary-General responded that any solution must achieve two goals: preserve Syrian state unity and territorial integrity, and ensure full integration and rights for Syria’s different communities.

"It's absolutely essential to achieve two things. One is, the unity of the Syrian state in the respect of its sovereignty, but, with the full integration of the different communities, in the state of Syria and, with the, all communities fully respect and their rights fully respect. The second thing is the need to respect the territorial integrity of Syria," the Secretary-General said.

The question referenced recent clashes and killings affecting several communities in Syria; the Secretary-General said it is for Syrians to find a solution to the Syrian problem and repeated that respect for sovereignty and community integration must guide any settlement. He did not endorse a specific constitutional model or foreign-imposed solution during the exchange.