anastaysia+stolyrova

Name: Anastasiya Stolyarova Country: Finland

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A civil war has been occurring in the middle eastern country of Syria; in attempt to remove the authoritarian president Bashar al-Assad and the Ba'ath party from rule, Syrian rebels have started an uprising. The Syrian government has continued to arrest and kill protesters in an effort to control the uprising, resulting in the death of more than 5,000 people since March 2011. These heinous violations against humanity have caused Finland to take action. The president, Sauli Niinsto, is head of foreign policy in cooperation with the cabinet. Sauli Niinsto is offering to take in 500 Syrian refugees in the upcoming year as part of the refugee quota, and has offered to host the destruction of Syria's poison gas stockpile. Although Finland believes in neutrality, as avid members of the European Union, we advocate the interests of the international community.=====

After World War I, European powers divided the Ottoman Empire due to imperial endeavors. In doing so, they ignored the fragile state of various religious and ethnic group locations. The new colony of Syria included Arabs, Kurds, Alawites, and Christians. Since Syria's independence from France in 1946, the area has been in a constant state of political unrest. After the death of his father, Bashar al-Assad succeeded his presidency in 2000. Assad is part of the Alawite religious sect (Shia Muslims) that has ruled Syria since 1971; this sect makes up only 10% of the Syrian population. After the election of 2000, a "Damascus Spring" occurred where Syrians discussed political and social issues in the secrecy of private residences called salons. The Syrian government eventually suppressed this movement in September 2001; many activists who promoted democracy were arrested. Protests began again in March as part of the Arab Spring, causing 3,000 arrests on the first day alone. Since then, arrests and civilian killings have raged on. The international community cannot possibly ignore the atrocious crimes committed against humanity. The brutal slaying of thousands of civilians, the raping of women and children, and the illegal detainment of protesters will not be permitted to continue. The United States, European Union, and Arab League have all imposed sanctions on Syria. In a deal with the Arab League, Syria agreed to allow the removal of Syrian security forces, which unfortunately was not upheld. Although not initiated, many have called for Bashar al-Assad to be tried by the International Criminal Court. In an attempt to support the rebels, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have supplied them with weapons. Major problems that continue to exist include the displacement of communities, the use of chemical weapons, and shortages of food and water.

Finland is willing to aid Syria during this time of war. The president of Finland, Sauli Niinsto, is offering to take in at least 500 Syrian refugees. Not only will this meet the refugee quota, but Finland will also gladly take in more due to the urgency of the situation. This decision still needs to be reviewed by the cabinet, and will ultimately cost more than a million dollars. Refugees will be placed in reception centers throughout Finland and will be given permanent residence permits. This refugee proposal can solve the problem of displaced civilians, giving them safe housing, care, a place of residence, and most importantly peace of mind. Finland's welcoming of refugees can possibly influence other countries to provide asylum. Finland has also offered to host the destruction of Syria's poison gas stockpile, which includes mustard gas and sarin. No other members of the European Union have offered to destroy the stockpile. The United States and Russia have an agreement that will lead to the eradication of the stockpiles by mid 2014, but this deadline does not reflect the urgency of the situation. Finland acknowledges the riskiness of this operation. Finland will need to transport the stockpile, find an area that is geographically permitting, hire experts, and utilize advanced technology. Although some might consider the feasibility slim, Finland is committed to perform this task and asks for any help other countries are willing to provide. The elimination of Syria's chemical weapons will have a large impact; this will prevent Syria from committing mass destruction and mass casualties on their citizens and will substantially decrease their military power. Lastly, in partnership with other European Union members, Finland will donate money to Syrian rebels and citizens. Finland's 2014 budget proposal for the administrative branch is 1,298 million euros. Approximately 56.3 million euros will be set aside for crisis management. Finland, along with other countries, can donate millions of dollars to help the suffering in Syria. These donations can go towards supplying communities in poor conditions with food and water, solving the problem of these shortages. If Finland is able to implement all ideas mentioned, it will cause a severe dent in the Syrian regime, and ultimately their demise. Finland's proposals can also save the lives of thousands of innocent civilians stuck in a war-zone. The number once achievement would be to gain democracy in the country of Syria.  