NBC- The Democratic Party was thrown into a mad scramble early today, as presumed candidate Dean Hampton announced that he would not be seeking a second term. NBC reporters tried to ask for reasoning, but as of yet there has been no official response from the White House. Hampton, though controversial in his foreign policy decision making, has seen steady ratings through his presidential career, especially among latino voters, owing to his investment in Puerto Rico and his openness to the community. It is anyone's guess who will replace him.
Meanwhile, the race for the Republican nomination has expanded to include two more candidates, with Ted Cruz and Lynne Cheney joining Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Matt Gaetz, and Josh Hawley in the running. Cheney spoke briefly with NBC correspondents, telling us that her primary reason for running is to “restore fiscal responsibility to Washington.” She is also expected to reach out to the LGBT community for support, though no statement has been made by her campaign as of yet to what Cheney intends to do to garner this support.
UNSC Chamber, Co-written by the respective players of nations and the IE council.
People's Republic of China
Current Members of the UNSC: People's Republic of China French Republic United States of America United Kingdom of Great Britain Russian Federation; Papua New Guinea, Islamic Republic of Iran, Morocco, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Australia, Ireland, Bahamas, Colombia, Romania Invited: Syria, The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations Security Council, Cao Jianming, had taken the position as standing President of the Security Council for the Month of April. He sat in his seat for several quiet moments, waiting until the shuffling from the other representatives had ceased and the transcribers had been readied before leaning into his microphone and beginning the session. "The 9766th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this order is the Turkish Occupation Strip. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic and Republic of Turkey to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2024/142, which contains a resolution on the Turkish border strip submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements preceding the vote on the resolution."(edited)
Withdrawal of Turkish troops from Northern Syria
Recognizing the eight year presence of Turkish troops on Syrian soil
Understanding the precarious domestic situation in the Syrian Arab Republic
Realizing that only though discussion and negotiation can peace be achieved in the Middle East
Recognizing the role the United Nations has played in instilling peace in the Syrian Arab Republic and bringing an end to the brutal civil war
Pushes forth a resolution to the United Nations Security Council to call for action against the Republic of Turkey for the illegal annexation of Northern Syria based on the following arguments:
a) The United Nations Security Council recognizes the borders of the Syrian Arab Republic to include the temporary Turkish Authority Zone in Northern Syria
b) It is the firm contention of the Syrian Arab Republic that the elimination of President Anas al-Abdah and his executive cabinet was not done by the Syrian Arab Armed Forces, and the only possibility was that an unaffiliated and unconnected foreign actor, state or nonstate, was responsible
c) It is the policy of President Bashar al-Assad that the reunification of Syria can and will only be achieved through peaceful negotiation and diplomacy rather than open or covert conflict
d) The borders of the Syrian Arab Republic are recognized internationally and with respect to the dispute in the Golan Heights, it is understood that the "Turkish Authority Zone" is legally a part of the internationally recognized borders of the Syrian Arab Republic, and all claims otherwise is a affront to and rejection of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic
e) The Syrian Arab Republic did not grant permission or authorize the Government of the Republic of Turkey to enter their sovereign national territory
f) The actions of the Republic of Turkey are illegal and a violation of the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, in violation of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations
Islamic Republic of Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran stands with the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic as per international law. It urges the Republic of Turkey to withdraw all of its forces from the Syrian Arab Republic at once and to return to diplomacy as a way forward. The Islamic Republic of Iran furthermore calls for a UN investigation into the assassinations.
United Kingdom of Great Britain
The United Kingdom condemns the actions of Turkey as irresponsible and senseless. We see no way in which their annexation benefits the situation or complied with international law. We urge President Erdogan to withdraw his declaration as well as his forces from the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.
French Republic
The aging François Delattre read the resolution carefully, setting his glasses down soon after. "Turkish Aggression has reared its ugly head today. They stand to create a new crisis, regarding refugees, if their incursions against Syria are not stopped. Therefore, it is clear that this resolution must be passed before we are pressed into action later. France supports the resolution and condemns President Erdogan for his almost neo Ottoman pursuits of foreign affairs and push for him to, quite simply, stay out of the Middle East."
Russian Federation
"The Republic of Turkey has violated the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic led by its lawful President Bashar Al-Assad. Annexing the current Occupation Zone has only proved their willingness to continually threaten the fragile stability of the Middle East. The Russian Federation has already moved to condemn the Republic of Turkey and moving military forces into the nation of Syria to protect it from hostile invasion, we support the resolution and believe that only a diplomatic resolution to the situation can truly bring peace to the region."
Turkey
"This resolution is an outrage, and nothing more than an attack on Turkish sovereignty. Turkey has tried to use peaceful, diplomatic means to bring stability to its neighboring regions, yet we have been received with nothing but hostility and double standards. The Kurdish terrorists have forced hundreds of thousands of Turkmens and Arabs from their homes in an attempt to Kurdify the region they call "Rojava", and were it not for us they would have completely wiped out non-Kurdish minorities in a brutal genocide. We were, and still are, protecting the people of the former Syrian territory from the terror of the Assad regime and the Kurdish terrorists he backs," The Turkish representative said.
Republic of India
"Such incursions within our borders are illegal and a violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic. There is no evidence provided by the Turkish government suggesting that the Government of Bashar al-Assad is engaging in acts of terror in collusion with Kurdish organizations, and there is especially zero evidence suggesting that President Assad is engaging in these horrendous activities against his people. The Turkish government is using the false veneer of combating non-existent terrorism to justify it's illegal expedition and annexation of sovereign Syrian soil" the Syrian representative said.(edited)
Turkey
"There is evidence enough, but your Alawite mind is too shallow to comprehend it. The Turkish provinces of Afrin and Kobane are integral parts of the Republic of Turkey, which have been reunited with the Turkish state after being separated from us by the French, like Hatay. Though we wished to settle this diplomatically, you and the Kurdish terrorists you support would have committed genocide, were it not for our integration of the region back with who it belongs."
United Kingdom of Great Britain
“There is no need for petty insults. Afrin and Kobane are internationally recognized as territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey has no claim to these lands. If there is such evidence, where is your proof that President Assad is responsible for the killings?”
Russian Federation
"So you admit that the Republic of Turkey has hostile ambitions to take over the territory that is internationally recognized as Syrian? You also announced that the Kurdish have pushed out many Turkmen and Arabs despite evidence showing that many Arabs have joined what was once the Syrian Democratic Forces who have supported destroying the once rogue Islamic State and the eventual ISIS insurgency. Which then unified with the Syrian Government after the Turkish intervention which has killed thousands and displaced many hundreds of thousands. Along with the lack of proof being shown by your nation."
Turkey
"I find it unfortunate that the U.K., after decades of being a helpful ally, has turned its back on us. When we intervened to protect the Turkish Cypriots, we allowed the British to keep their military bases in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Likewise, we supported them fully during the Falklands War, even when numerous nations, and even the UN, recognized the Falklands as Argentinian. All of this assistance for nothing, and what has Syria given you? They a shithole country in the middle of the desert. They have refused to allow the West to rebuild them, and have been hostile towards CESDOT, which even now the once mighty British Empire bows to," The Turkish representative noted, glaring at the British representative, "We have no hostile intention, and did not take over territory being administered by the illegitimate government now sitting in Damascus. The territory was already being occupied and run by the legitimate Syrian government of Azaz, and in a time of crisis their people agreed to rejoin with the Turkish motherland. There is plenty of proof of Assad's terroristic actions, I myself was at the funeral of the now-deceased true Syrian president who was called by him. If we are to discuss anything, it is that Assad must go!"
United Kingdom of Great Britain
“You speak of assisting us in history, but what of the thousands of British lives lost to the Ottomans in the Great War, the Empire whose borders you are trying to rebuild. At the same time, that Empire was carrying out a systemic genocide of over a million Armenians. Even today the government of Turkey seeks to commit further horrors against the Kurdish people of Northern Syria during their illegal occupation. We do not condone the actions of the Assad regime, but Turkey’s brutish entrance into this situation has done nothing but complicate things. Turkey must withdraw from Syria and allow the UN to deal with the situation between the Syrian government and Rojava. We volunteer the MI6 to assist in a full UN investigation into this situation.”
Republic of India
"We ask that the Turkish government refrain from such unprofessional language in these discussions, as it is the intention of the Syrian Arab Republic to resolve this crisis through peace"
French Republic
"If the Turkish Representatives only mean to deter our ruling is insults and unsubstantiated claims then we should end this meeting here and now."
United States of America
"The U.S recommends neither party act in haste. The will of a people must be taken into account, as it was in Crimea, for those areas that Turkey claims newfound ownership over. The U.S will neither condemn nor support the actions of the Turkish Government, it will however urge that this meeting is taken as a way to discuss these matters with a degree of decorum, and not as a platform for both parties to hurl insults across the aisle."
United States of America
"The U.S would further like to recommend that alternatively, a plebiscite be held in Turkish controlled territories, in order to ensure the respect of the will of the peoples therein, self determination being a right this body has championed."
Turkey
"We respect the US for their non-biased approach on the situation, and their respect for the desire of the people within the Turkish provinces of Afrin and Kobane. Should this resolution fail, through vote or through veto, we would happily hold a referendum to show the dedication of the local people to the Turkish nation."
Republic of India
"The inaction of the United States in regards to the violation of Syrian sovereignty by the Turkish government is a disappointing development of events"
United Kingdom of Great Britain
“If a referendum is to be held, it would need to be held by UN personnel and closely watched to ensure the vote is truly fair and representative of the will of the people of Rojava, not the will of President Edrogan.”
Turkey
"This has nothing to do with the administration of North and East Syria, the region in question has no ties to them whatsoever."
Russian Federation
"There shouldn't be a referendum in the first place, these areas are rightfully Syrian Arab territory. Which Turkey is unrightfully annexing, these are lands of the people of Syria, not Turkey."
Republic of India
"A referendum would implicitly endorse the Turkish conquest of Northern Syria, and would spit on decades of international law"
United States of America
"The US asserts that given the precedence of the Crimean referendum and subsequent annexation of that region by Russia, a referendum should likewise be held in the regions disputed by Turkey and Syria. Article 15 of of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all have the right to a nationality, and that none should be denied the right to change nationality. The US simply states that the peoples of the disputed lands be given this right, and that it is our responsibility to affirm this right."
United Kingdom of Great Britain
“We do agree a referendum must be held but it must be explicitly run by the UN to ensure a truly fair vote.”
Russian Federation
"Russia believes that the current resolution will be enough to bring peace to the region."
Republic of India
"If that is the assertion of the United States, we ask that they consider hosting a referendum in the American colony of Puerto Rico as well. The American assertion is unrealistic and will only breed more conflict"
Turkey
"Turkey would be willing to have a referendum supervised by the UN, but managed by Turkey, so long as this resolution does not come to pass."
Republic of India
"The Syrian Arab Republic does not consent to Turkish management of any UN operation within the borders of Syria"
United States of America
"The US requests that Syria refrain from referring to Puerto Rico, a territory that has seen considerable investment by the current government to prepare it for further integration into the US, as a colony. To do so show only serves to deflect and demean the current issue at hand, that being the need for this council to recognize the human rights of the peoples living in the disputed regions."
French Republic
"Turkey must not come to manage the referendum, despite there being no need for one. If a referendum is required, than let it be done by a neutral party. The Swiss or Belgians are always available. But neither Turkey nor Syria must manage a referendum."
Turkey
"If that is the case, we would request the Americans oversee the referendum. If they were to veto this bill, we would consent to American oversight of a referrendum in the disputed region."
French Republic
"During this time neither side shall not be allowed to occupy the region as to avoid potential show of force."
"The Americans who abandoned their allies to hide in their cave? No. Their willingness to even give President Erdogan breathing room speaks enough for itself. The Swiss are neither part of the EU nor have they ever broken an oath. I'd sooner have China manage it than the US, in all due respect."
Russian Federation
"We urge the current President of the Security Council to push onto the voting, instead of sitting in this back and forth talks."
People's Republic of China
"I would like to pose a question to the Turkish representative," Jianming spoke, "During the initial intervention in the Syrian Civil War and subsequent occupation of the region, it was posed as a temporary solution to the problem of Syrian instability in order to protect the Turkish core from a surge of violence and strife. I will grant that the Syrian Arab Republic is a nation still aching from the throws of its civil war, though the Assad government has done much to secure its place and to quell any dissent. Why, now of all times, would the best decision forward be the integration of the region? If the intent is peace, why threaten to destabilize the region with such a bold and offensive move?"
Turkey
"We are doing what is best for the stability for the region, by integrating a region which wishes to be Turkish instead of allowing Assadist influence, such as the terrorist attack on the government, to continue to destabilize what is now the Turkish provinces of Afrin and Kobane."
French Republic
"You have no evidence to show that the region wishes to even join Turkey."
Russian Federation
"Again, this is after an attack on the local Government which...by you...is supposedly made by supporters of the legitimate Syrian Government? All I've seen is a wish to reunify with the true nation of Syria if somehow these claims were true. But we've yet to see what had come of these unknown members who killed off the Government of the Occupation Zone."
United States of America
"The US would like to once again assert that the self determination of the peoples of the disputed territories must be considered if any resolution is to pass."
People's Republic of China
*"I believe the time has come to vote on resolution S/2024/142 in demanding the removal of the Republic of Turkey, and any force associated with such, by September and the entrance of Syrian troops to assure a peaceful transfer of authority."
China: Abstained
Morocco: Yay
Eritrea: Yay
Australia: Yay
Ireland: Yay
Colombia: Abstained
Bahamas: Yay
Russia: Yay
Papua New Guinea: Yay
Guinea-Bissau: Yay
United Kingdom: Nay
France: Yay
United States: Nay
Romania: Yay
Iran: Yay
RESOLUTION CLOSED: Vetoed