Thank you Mr President,

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU and expresses its deepest appreciation for the Commission of Inquiry.

Last week we commemorated how the courageous Syrian people took to the streets twelve years ago to demand freedom and political reform. They were met with a ruthless and repressive regime that has committed countless atrocities ever since. Over a hundred thousand Syrians are still missing after the regime arbitrarily detained them. The Netherlands urges the UN General Assembly to make haste with the establishment of a mechanism for the missing. 

It is absolutely heartbreaking that the Syrian people that have been through so much havoc and hardship already, have now fallen victim to a devastating earthquake too. And yet again, geopolitical calculations are prevailing over humanitarian needs. The Netherlands calls upon the international community to exert maximum pressure on the regime, its cynical allies and other parties involved to grant full humanitarian access and to refrain from any hostilities in order for urgently needed relief to reach those in desperate need.

Distinguished members of the Commission:

How do you expect the earthquake to affect the already deeply worrisome human rights situation across Syria?