The United States handed the UN a memorandum stating that the Damascus government isn’t recognized by the US
The United States delivered an official memorandum to the Syrian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, changing its legal status from “permanent mission of a member state” to “mission of a government not recognized by Washington”.
This was considered an unprecedented diplomatic escalation in the US administration’s dealings with the current Syrian government.
The US memorandum also included the cancellation of G1 diplomatic visas, which are typically granted to diplomats accredited by governments recognized by the United States, and their replacement with G3 visas, designated for representatives of governments not recognized in the country.
In this regard, media reports indicated that the Syrian mission in UN sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Damascus, informing it of the details of the US memorandum, stating that the US Permanent Mission in New York notified them on Thursday evening, April 3, 2025, of Memorandum No. 41-2025, which stipulates a complete change in the legal status of the Syrian delegation.
The process of converting visas from G1 to G3 will be subject to review by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), after completing specific legal procedures outlined in the official memorandum.
The Syrian delegation noted that the memorandum contained a clear declaration from the US administration that it doesn’t recognize the current Syrian transitional government, adding that this decision could pave the way for similar moves by other countries that share Washington’s political positions.
On the other hand, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement clarifying that the procedure related to amending the legal status of its mission in New York is merely an administrative and technical procedure, and doesn’t reflect any change in the position of the current government.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement added that it’s currently reviewing the status of its diplomatic missions abroad and that it will soon announce important decisions to reorganize its external work.
