Grim outlook
The Jordanian Initiative, the new name for the non-paper, begins by presenting specific points about the current situation. It states that "after 12 years, there is no hope for resolving the crisis, and there is no comprehensive strategy to achieve a political solution, while the suffering of the Syrian people continues to escalate".
There are "6.7 million refugees, 6.8 million internally displaced persons within Syria, and 15.3 million in need of humanitarian assistance, with 90% living below the poverty line."
Read more: From refugees to crippling poverty, a look at Syria's never-ending humanitarian crisis
The initiative points out that "years of instability have led to increased drug trafficking across Syria's borders, the resurgence of terrorist organisations, the growing influence of Iran, the limited return of refugees and displaced persons, and a decline in global support for refugees and host countries."
In this photo released by the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency, Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, shakes hands with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Damascus, Syria, May 3, 2023.
Five points of agreement
The initiative states that the required action is to "find a comprehensive, humanitarian, and political solution based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254", it also mentions that "we all agree" (meaning the concerned external parties) on five points: "There is no military solution to end the crisis. Changing the regime is not an efficient goal. UN Security Council Resolution 2254 is the best way forward. The current situation causes additional suffering for Syrians and strengthens the opponents. Decreasing or delaying intervention will lead to consequences that may be difficult to alter."
Initially, the creators of the initiative proposed supporting the "step-for-step" approach, proposed by the UN envoy Geir Pedersen, to reach a political solution based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254, mobilise support for a new initiative among Arab, regional, and international partners who share similar ways of thinking, reach an agreement on a mechanism for the involvement of the Syrian government based on requests and proposals, and work on obtaining Russia's approval for this approach.
Three Levels
The "initiative" outlines three levels of actions within the framework of requests and proposals: politically, "the overarching goal is to achieve a political solution that preserves the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of Syria, gradually addresses all the consequences of the crisis, and restores Syria's security, stability, and regional standing".
Additionally, the goal is to present a vision for the direct engagement of several Arab countries with the Syrian government, emphasising that "this Arab-led approach must be gradual, focusing first on alleviating the suffering of Syrians."