Damascus, Syria - January 22, 2025 The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen urged all parties involved to maintain a credible and effective political transition process in Syria while speaking at a press briefing in Damascus Wednesday. Pedersen stressed forming a single Syrian national army is a critical part of the efforts to achieve a stable transition. The envoy reiterated the UN's willingness to assist the transitional administration, emphasizing that the political transition process will require international cooperation, and adding that the UN will work with Europe and the Trump Administration on the issue of sanctions and protecting the rights of minorities and women. He also underscored the importance of ending sanctions on Syria to allow for economic recovery and reconstruction. Shotlist: Damascus, Syria - Jan 22, 2025: 1. Geir Pedersen, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, walking into press briefing room; 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria (partially overlaid with shot 3): "We need to move along a path from the current realities, established in emergency conditions, and into a credible, inclusive, transparent and effective political transition process. Obviously, a key in that is the formation of one Syrian national army because that is vital for stability, but it obviously also requires careful management in a way that avoids competing armies and fragmented command structures."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 3. Various of reporters; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 4. Various of pedestrians, gunshots heard in street; Damascus, Syria - Jan 22, 2025 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria (partially overlaid with shots 6-7): "If there are criminal activities, if there are people who are taking justice in their own hands, they will also be prosecuted. So, I think we all heard a clear message on that. But as I said, this is obviously an area where all of us will continue to follow, and that is also obviously one of the roles also of the United Nations to follow this very carefully and part of our mandate."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 6. Press briefing in progress; 7. Various of reporters; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Homs, Syria - Recent 8. Various of pedestrians, damaged buildings; FILE: Damascus, Syria - Dec 12, 2024 9. Various of traffic. [Restriction - No Access Chinese Mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]