De-escalation Needed as Region Already in Historic Crisis, Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Tells Security Council, Urging Confidence-Building Measures
‘We Need More than Just Good Intentions,’ She Adds
Sustained, operationalized de-escalation is urgently needed as regional developments continue to be felt inside Syria, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as members echoed concerns about potential regional conflagration.
“To continue such violence is to play with fire,” warned Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, adding: “Just one miscalculation — one stray artillery shell or misjudged airstrike — could ignite a dozen different powder kegs that lie within Syrian borders.” On that, she detailed Israeli airstrikes in Syria, rocket fire over the Syrian Golan towards Israel, attacks on United States forces and subsequent retaliation, ongoing clashes between pro-Government and opposition entities, strikes by Türkiye and continued attacks by Da’esh.
Against that backdrop, she underscored: “We need more than just good intentions — we need sustained de-escalation, operationalized through robust channels between all stakeholders.” She also urged the Council and stakeholders to support the resumption of the Constitutional Committee and underlined the need for further engagement on proposals for step-by-step confidence-building measures. Syria is a piece of a regional crisis “too dangerous to be left unattended”, she stressed, warning that, otherwise, the situation will spill across “a region that is already in a moment of historical crisis”.
Also briefing the Council was Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who reported that an estimated 5.7 million people across Syria need critical assistance to get through winter. However, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria is only 33 per cent funded. Detailing the impact of this shortfall, she said that 2.5 million people no longer receive the food assistance they require. “What we need is urgent funding to save lives and stem a further, catastrophic deterioration in the humanitarian situation,” she said.
In the ensuing debate, many Council members underscored the need for regional de-escalation and progress on the political track, including a resumption of the Constitutional Committee’s work.
On that, the representative of the United States said that the Syrian regime has obstructed all attempts to achieve such progress. Expressing concern over multiple attacks conducted by the regime and the Russian Federation in northern Syria, she also condemned attacks by Iran-aligned militia groups on her country’s personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria. The mission of United States forces is to lead the international effort to defeat Da’esh, she stressed, detailing efforts towards that end.
The representative of the Russian Federation, meanwhile, said that Western States’ silence in the face of Israel’s repeated attacks on international airports in Damascus and Aleppo is telling. The dire situation on the ground is being compounded by a risk of escalation in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and Syria is on the brink of being dragged into a large-scale confrontation. Against that backdrop, he expressed support for resuming the work of the Constitutional Committee and said that Syrian representatives must agree on a venue.
Similarly, the representative of the United Arab Emirates expressed hope that the Constitutional Committee will hold its meetings as soon as possible under Syrian leadership and ownership, free from foreign interference. Further, he noted rising regional tensions and underscored the urgent need to progress on the political track in Syria — both to achieve peace and security within the country and to support regional stability.
Ghana’s delegate, also speaking for Gabon and Mozambique, stressed that Syria’s sovereignty must be respected and that all foreign forces must completely withdraw from the country. He also urged all parties to prevent a potentially catastrophic spillover from Gaza. “The most effective solution to the conflict remains an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, undertaken with the support of the international community, under the aegis of the UN as detailed in resolution 2254 [2015],” he said.
The representative of Syria, for his part, said that — despite positive steps by the Government — Western States continue to politicize the humanitarian dossier. Further, the United States persists in its hostile policies, and its forces are occupying Syrian land, killing Syrians and supporting separatist militias. Stressing that the UN Charter does not legalize the presence of United States forces on Syrian territories without Damascus’ permission, he said that the alleged coalition’s real goal is to destabilize Syria and serve the interests of the United States and Israel.
Offering a regional perspective, Iran’s representative said that diplomatic and political means will provide the solution in Syria, underscored the need to resume meetings of the Constitutional Committee and rejected allegations by the United States. The representative of Türkiye, recalling resolution 2254 (2015), said: “It is our collective responsibility to uphold the provisions of this resolution and work towards achieving a durable political settlement of the Syrian conflict accordingly.”
THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Briefings
NAJAT ROCHDI, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, said de-escalation in Syria and across the region remains the most pressing matter. She is deeply concerned about potential wider escalation in Syria and noted that developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel continue to be felt inside Syria. This weekend, Israeli air strikes again hit Damascus airport, temporarily halting once more the United Nation’s Humanitarian Air Service. This came after several air strikes attributed to Israel on other locations across Syria, as well as Israeli artillery fire reported into southern Syria. There have also reports of rocket and missile launches from southern Syria over the occupied Syrian Golan towards Israel, she said. The Israeli army claims that a drone strike in Eilat came from an organization in Syria, against which the Israeli army says it carried out air strikes in response. She added there were near-daily reports until recently of attacks on United States forces in northeast Syria, which the United States blames on Iran-backed groups, with the United States carrying out retaliatory strikes in Syria. Iran denies any such backing, she said.
She highlighted ongoing military activity in the Syrian conflict, with civilian causalities. This includes pro-Government air strikes, artillery exchanges, drone attacks on Government targets by groups in Idlib, Turkish drone strikes on north-east Syria, artillery exchanges between Turkish and armed opposition forces on one side and Syrian Democratic Forces on the other, ongoing attacks by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da’esh, and assassination attempts. Regarding this ongoing violence and spillover from Gaza, she said: “To continue such violence is to play with fire. Just one miscalculation — one stray artillery shell or misjudged air strike — could ignite a dozen different powder kegs that lie within Syrian borders.” She added: “We need more than just good intentions: we need sustained de-escalation operationalized through robust channels between all stakeholders. We need the killing, injuring and displacement of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure, not just to decrease, but to end.”
The humanitarian situation will likely worsen, with winter and funding cuts looming and a disastrous economic situation, she said. She welcomed Syria’s extension of the authorization for the United Nations to use the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee border crossings for an additional three months. She called for the Government of Syria to provide information on all amnesties that they issue, the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals, conditions for the return in safety, dignity and voluntarily of refugees and displaced people, and a credible and comprehensive approach for a political solution, addressing all issues of concern to stakeholders.
She urged the Council and stakeholders to support the resumption of the Constitutional Committee, proceeding at pace and with substance, as a dimension of the political process. The Special Envoy is consulting in the region for the second time this month for a regional venue for this. She said there is a need for further engagement with all relevant stakeholders on the proposals for step-for-step confidence-building measures, and further ideas in that regard. She called for Syrian women’s involvement in the process, and creating the conditions where women and girls can thrive in Syria. Noting the regional crisis, she said, “Syria is a piece of that puzzle” that is “too dangerous to be left unattended”. Otherwise, she fears, “the situation will boil over again and again, spilling across a region that is already in a moment of historical crisis”.
EDEM WOSORNU, Director of Operations and Advocacy, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that, on 25 November, shelling in southern Idlib killed nine civilians, including one woman and six children from the same family, while they were harvesting olives on agricultural land. In all, dozens of civilians have been killed and injured in the violence and more than 120,000 people displaced. Of the around 10 per cent who remain displaced, some 5,000 are hosted in reception centres, while the rest are living in informal settlements. The impact on civilian facilities and critical infrastructure has been significant, with 40 health facilities, 27 schools and over 20 water systems affected by the violence. In the north-east, the uptick in hostilities that began in late August continues and has further displaced 25,000 people. Parents are afraid to send their children to school, thus exposing them to safety risks, including gender-based violence, child marriage and domestic violence, she added.
Attacks have also damaged power stations, she said, noting that the Alouk water station has not functioned since 5 October, depriving a million people of access to water in Al Hasakah and neighbouring areas, including the Al Hol camp. Constant care must be taken to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure and all feasible precautions taken to avoid and minimize civilian harm when planning attacks. Noting that crossings on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River remain closed, she said: “The United Nations remains committed to principled delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in need throughout Syria, including in the north-west, where our cross-border operations remain a lifeline to more than 4 million people.” She welcomed the Government of Syria’s extension of consent for the UN to use the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra'ee crossings to deliver aid from Türkiye for a period of three months, until 13 February 2024.
More than 20 per cent of trucks and nearly 50 per cent of missions by UN personnel going into the north-west since February have used these two crossings, which provide the quickest and most efficient route to reach people in need in northern Aleppo, where 20 per cent of displacement camps and informal sites are located, she said. “We continue our engagement with the Government of Syria to ensure that the delivery of cross-border assistance is principled, sustained and predictable,” she continued, emphasizing that maintaining an independent and robust oversight mechanism at the border, in line with existing modalities, is essential. Women and girls, who make up 80 per cent of those in displacement camps and informal sites, continue to bear the brunt of this crisis, she said, noting that a staggering 92 per cent of women-headed households in displacement camps in Syria report insufficient ability or complete inability to meet their families’ basic needs.
“Our teams on the ground estimate that 5.7 million people across Syria need critical assistance to help them through the cold winter months,” she continued. However, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria is only 33 per cent funded, with only $1.8 billion received out of the $5.4 billion requested. Detailing the impact of such lack of resources, she said 2.5 million people no longer receive the food assistance they need and 74 per cent of the almost 6 million people who are not receiving urgently needed nutritional assistance are women and girls. “What we need is urgent funding to save lives and stem a further, catastrophic deterioration in the humanitarian situation,” she said, urging sustained humanitarian access through all modalities. “And, more than anything else, we need genuine progress towards an end to this conflict, without which it is simply impossible to stem the tide of vast humanitarian needs in Syria.”
Statements
VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation), expressing support for the Constitutional Committee’s resumed work, said that Syrian representatives need to agree on a relevant venue. The dire situation on the ground is being compounded by risk of escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Syria on the brink of being dragged in a large-scale confrontation. Highlighting the “glaring double standards” of Western countries, he said that while “unfoundedly asserting” that Israel has a right to self-defence over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, they refuse this same right for Syrian and Lebanese people. Reporting that Israel’s air force has been repeatedly attacking the international airports in Damascus and Aleppo — the gateway for UN assistance — he noted that the silence of the Western States is telling. He further expressed support for the authorization to use Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee crossing points until 2024, asking Ms. Wosornu whether the trips by UN staff through Bab al-Hawa are coordinated by Damascus and if they provide reports following those trips.
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States) reiterated concern about the multiple attacks conducted by the Syrian regime and the Russian Federation’s forces in northern Syria. She also condemned the attacks by Iran-aligned militia groups on her country’s personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria. The mission of these United States forces is to lead the international effort to defeat Da’esh, she said, adding that in response, her country has conducted targeted strikes and designated Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and its Secretary-General as “specially designated global terrorists”. The international community must not allow the Assad regime to distract attention from the ongoing protests in Al Shahida, where for months Syrian people have exercised their right to peaceful assembly. The Syrian regime has obstructed all attempts to achieve progress on the political track, she said, adding that refugees are indicating no wish to return not because of economic conditions, but out of fear of oppression. Welcoming the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice ordering Syria to prevent acts of torture and other crimes, she said the Assad regime must clarify the fate of the 150,000 people it has arbitrarily detained or forcefully disappeared. Welcoming the six-month extensions of the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee border crossings, she said the regime must extend authorization for the Bab al-Hawa crossing before it expires in January.
SÉRGIO FRANÇA DANESE (Brazil), speaking also on behalf of Switzerland as co-penholders of the Syrian humanitarian file, noted that the humanitarian situation remains dire, with half of the population remaining displaced, the food and water crisis worsening and economic decline driving people into greater poverty. Increasing hostilities are accentuating suffering, he said, emphasizing the need for long-lasting ceasefire and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. He expressed, however, concern about the funding gap for such aid. Speaking in his national capacity, he said that the dangerous escalation of violence, with the potential spillover from Gaza, is “real and deeply concerning”. The relevant parties must prevent further regional instability. He added that a comprehensive ceasefire is long overdue and that a political process, including convening the Constitutional Committee, is needed. Currently, there is “a fragile status quo that risks total collapse, potentially further destabilizing a region already at its breaking point”, he said.
MOHAMED ISSA ABUSHAHAB (United Arab Emirates), noting rising regional tensions, said that it is more urgent than ever to progress on the political track in Syria both to achieve peace and security within the country and to support regional stability. To that end, he expressed hope that the Constitutional Committee will hold its meetings as soon as possible under Syrian leadership and ownership, free from foreign interference. Also stressing the importance of de-escalation and ceasefire throughout Syria, he underscored that achieving sustainable peace in the country hinges on the elimination of terrorist threats. Further, he voiced concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation and called for the continued passage of humanitarian aid across all regions and by all available means. Delivery must be conducted on a large scale, he added, and must be tailored to the specific aid required on the ground — especially in winter.
ALBANA DAUTLLARI (Albania) said that while increased numbers of humanitarian trucks passing through the three border crossings during September and October is a positive step, it “is merely a water drop in the face of the existential needs of Syrians”. Further, while welcoming the extension of the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee crossings until 2024, she underlined the need for sustainable use of the Bab al-Hawa crossing. “Although the humanitarian aid is the hand that reaches out to those in need, this Council should also be the voice which speaks for those who cannot,” she stressed, emphasizing that the Council should not tolerate the Syrian regime blocking the Constitutional Committee’s next meeting. She went on to call for a national ceasefire, spotlighting the increased shelling and airstrikes across Idlib that have displaced 12,000 people and damaged critical health and education infrastructure since 5 October.
YAMANAKA OSAMU (Japan), warning about the spillover effects of the Gaza crisis on the Syrian situation, highlighted the suffering of Syrians who have faced more than a decade of war as well as devastating earthquakes. They desperately need a political solution — but none appears imminent — and the Constitutional Committee is unlikely to convene before the end of 2023. Further, the Special Envoy’s step-by-step approach has been complicated by the involvement of external and internal actors. However, he stressed that “we do not have the luxury of losing hope”. Noting acute humanitarian need across the country, he pointed to his country’s support for early recovery and resilience-building efforts in Syria. The Syrian Government must create an enabling environment for the safe and dignified return of displaced people, he added, underscoring that the cost of inaction is extremely high — without a political solution, Syria will remain unstable and humanitarian need will increase.
HAROLD ADLAI AGYEMAN (Ghana), also speaking for Gabon and Mozambique, expressed concern over the increasing rate of violence — as well as foreign military action — in Syria. Such attacks must stop, Syria’s sovereignty must be respected and all foreign forces must completely withdraw. He also urged all parties to prevent a potentially catastrophic spillover from Gaza. Underscoring the distressing situation for Syrian children — including recruitment, killing and exposure to sexual violence — he welcomed the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice requiring Syria to prevent torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. He also urged both full support for Syria to progress from its current crisis and an immediate nationwide ceasefire to create an enabling environment for the political process.
“The most effective solution to the conflict remains an inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, undertaken with the support of the international community, under the aegis of the UN as detailed in resolution 2254 [2015],” he said. Access for humanitarian aid is a priority, he continued, and — while welcoming the broader scope of the cross-border mechanism — he encouraged the delivery of aid across the front lines. This is equally essential and complementary to cross-border deliveries. Further, noting current funding challenges, he called for greater financial mobilization to support the humanitarian response plan in Syria that is currently only 33 per cent funded.
NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE (France), spotlighting the risk of regional conflagration due to the Gaza crisis, warned against the opening of a new front against Israel in Syria. Collective efforts must be redoubled to prevent this. He also noted that the regime and its allies continue their violence against Syrians, pointing out that while the Russian Federation mentions respect for international humanitarian law in Gaza daily, it tramples on it in Idlib continually. Hostilities must cease throughout the country, as there will be no prospects for a political solution until a credible, inclusive process is initiated based on resolution 2254 (2015). He also welcomed the renewed agreement for the delivery of humanitarian aid through Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee, stressing that this must be made permanent. Conditions for the return of refugees must be met and Damascus must present concrete, verifiable commitments to this end, he added.
FRANCESCA MARIA GATT (Malta), noting that the recent regional developments paint a troubling picture, pointed to Israel’s airstrikes targeting Damascus international airport and attacks on United States military forces. She expressed concern over an increase of children killed and maimed in Syria, including the attacks on schools and hospitals, noting that 4.1 million people in the northwest remain in need of humanitarian assistance. Welcoming the renewal of the agreement between the United Nations and Damascus to use Al-Ra’ee and Bab al-Salam, she added: “All pathways must remain in place as long as the needs persist.” She expressed regret that Syria’s humanitarian plans remain underfunded, underscoring the importance of political progress, de-escalation and a nationwide ceasefire. Calling for the reconvening of the Constitutional Committee, she welcomed the recent order of the International Court of Justice in the case concerning the application of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Syria.
JAMES KARIUKI (United Kingdom), emphasizing the urgent need for regional de-escalation, condemned the Syrian regime’s sustained attacks in north-west Syria as well as the spate of attacks in the north-east by Iran-affiliated militias. The global coalition against Da’esh must be able to continue its operations, he said, calling on the Syrian regime and “its Russian backers” to prioritize stability in Syria. The international community must remain committed to ensuring sustainable, predictable and efficient aid flows across the whole of Syria, he said. While it is positive that the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee agreements were extended, the situation on the ground means that short-term last-minute agreements are not appropriate, he said, pointing to the forthcoming expiry of the Bab al-Hawa agreement. The worsening situation in Syria is a reminder of the need for a viable political process, he said, adding that until the regime and its backers engage seriously in a political process, his country will not engage with it.
ADRIAN DOMINIK HAURI (Switzerland), endorsing Brazil’s statement as its co-penholder on the Syrian humanitarian file, said that it is regrettable that efforts to relaunch the political process and the work of the Constitutional Committee have stalled. “We urge all parties concerned to fully engage and collaborate with the Special Envoy with a view to relaunching such a process.” He highlighted that in the north-east, armed violence continues, raising fears of a security vacuum that would benefit Da’esh, which has been stepping up its attacks recently. New hostilities in the north disproportionately affect women and girls, increasing the risk of gender-based violence. Amid recent attacks, he called for a nationwide ceasefire, in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015). He stressed the need to provide civil society with resources to carry out its work for justice. In addition, all parties need to engage in confidence-building and realistic, constructive and tangible dialogue to achieve progress, he said.
ANDRÉS EFREN MONTALVO SOSA (Ecuador) said all diplomatic and political mechanisms must be exhausted to reactivate the negotiations committee, the step-by-step strategy and any other initiative that promotes implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). All actors involved must renew their commitment and political will to urgently resume constructive negotiations. He voiced concern over the increase in the number of people who depend on assistance to survive amid increased violence and the approaching winter, as well as the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the violence in Syria. He expressed hope that the cross-line and cross-border crossings and the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, which expires in February, will be renewed. Building a peaceful and prosperous future in Syria and in the region will only be possible through a political solution that prioritizes peace, respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, and aims all efforts towards the economic and social development of the country and its people, he said.
GENG SHUANG (China), Council President for November, speaking in his national capacity, said States should work together to avoid a spillover of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Underscoring the importance of the political solution, he said that the international community should encourage dialogue, bridge differences and find a solution acceptable to all parties. In that regard, he supported the Arab countries’ solidarity in reaching a political settlement. He acknowledged the Government of Syria’s progress in combating terrorism, adding that States should adopt a uniform standard and zero-tolerance approach to combating terrorist forces in Syria. Highlighting the increase of humanitarian relief operations over the past six months, he urged the parties concerned to show sincerity. He further called for lifting of unilateral sanctions, adding that foreign forces should end their illegal presence in Syria and stop plundering that country’s natural resources.
ALHAKAM DANDY (Syria), expressing regret that it took 50 days to temporarily pause the barbaric Israeli killing machine, pointed to that country’s rocket attack on the Damascus airport only a few hours after it resumed operations. While Western countries do not want to hear about such flagrant aggressions, they represent a grave violation of international law. Turning to his Government’s efforts, he said that it renewed authorization for the United Nations and specialized agencies to use the Bab al-Salam and Al-Ra’ee border crossings for three additional months. Further, his country has engaged in constructive dialogue with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to ensure the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees. Outlining numerous conditions for enabling this, he underlined the need to allow refugees and internally displaced persons to make free decisions about their return. He also spotlighted a recent legislative decree granting general amnesty for all crimes committed before 16 November 2023.
Despite these positive steps, he said that Western States continue to politicize the humanitarian dossier by imposing conditions and failing to fulfil their obligations regarding the humanitarian response plan. Funding for this plan has only reached 30 per cent, which hinders implementation of the Organization’s humanitarian programmes. Further, the United States persists in its hostile policies against the Syrian people, he noted, adding that its forces are occupying Syrian land, killing Syrians and supporting separatist militias. While the representative of the United States invokes the Charter of the United Nations to justify her country’s crimes against Syria, he stressed that the Charter does not legalize the presence of United States forces on Syrian territory without Damascus’ permission. The alleged coalition’s real goal is to destabilize Syria and serve the interests of the United States and Israel, he added.
AMIR SAEID IRAVANI (Iran) said that, despite UN efforts to deliver aid, the continuing impact of illegal unilateral sanctions — especially those unlawfully imposed by the United States — places a disproportionate burden on the Syrian people, including women and children. Humanitarian assistance and reconstruction initiatives should not be used to exert political pressure on the Government of Syria. He called on the Council to condemn Israel’s attacks in Syria, noting that the Council’s lack of a decisive response has emboldened Israel to continue its aggression. “The illegal presence of the US military forces in Syria and its continued occupation is the primary source of insecurity,” he said, adding that it provides fertile ground for terrorist organizations within Syria and the region. Diplomatic and political means will provide the solution in Syria, he said, underscoring the need to resume meetings of the Constitutional Committee. Iran has never been involved in any acts or attacks against US military forces in Syria or elsewhere, he added, rejecting groundless allegations by the United States that were repeated in the Council by the United Kingdom’s representative.
CEREN HANDE ÖZGÜR (Türkiye), recalling that resolution 2254 (2015) sets out the path towards resolving the Syrian conflict, said: “It is our collective responsibility to uphold the provisions of this resolution and work towards achieving a durable political settlement of the Syrian conflict accordingly.” Türkiye remains engaged with key stakeholders, including the Syrian opposition and members of the Astana platform, she said, adding that, in parallel to efforts to revitalize the political process, conditions for the voluntary safe and dignified return of Syrians to their country must be ensured. Countering terrorism to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and unity must be a pillar of this three-track approach which should proceed simultaneously. She added that Türkiye is entitled to take appropriate measures against the direct and imminent threat posed by the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] YPG [People’s Protection Units] whose presence in Syria and across their borders and its terrorist attacks constitute a vital threat to Türkiye’s national security.
Noting increased attacks by the regime in the Idlib area since the beginning of October, she said that Türkiye continues its efforts to de-escalate the situation and ensure that a ceasefire is observed. Voicing concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, she said that cross-border humanitarian assistance must continue as long as needed and in line with its long-standing modus operandi, including monitoring and reporting. International partners should also contribute to the stabilization efforts in the north-west, she said, noting that Türkiye will continue to contribute to international efforts towards improving the humanitarian situation and achieving a lasting political solution in Syria.
https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15505.doc.htm
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