A Syrian Coalition’s delegation, headed by Hadi al-Bahra, arrived in London on Sunday evening on a three-day visit on an official invitation of the British Government. The delegation is scheduled to participate in the of Friends of Syria meeting at the ambassadors level on November 10th, 2014. It will also hold a meeting with Mr. Philip Hammond, the British foreign minister, diplomats, journalists, international organizations and the Syrian community in Britain.
Bahra, will stress the need to supply displaced persons, refugees and those trapped in Syria with winter coats, tents and heating stoves to help them cope with the cold winter.
Bahra will also praise Friends of Syria for the decision that the Syrian Coalition is the only party that defines the priorities dictated by the situation in Syria.
Nasr al-Hariri, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, said during a meeting with Mr. Phillip Hammond that “ financial and economic support is a serious problem that slows the wheel of the revolution. More precisely, the problem does not only lie in the scarcity of financial support we receive, but also that it is not channeled through one source. In other words, financial support achieves the required results only when it is constantly channeled through the Syrian Coalition, which has executive bodies working on the ground in Syria.”
Munzer Akbik, member of the Syrian Coalition, said that “we are going to candidly exchange views with members of the Friends of Syria group in the London meeting,” expressing hope “that the meeting will be fruitful and constructive.”
He pointed out “that there will be follow-up on the decisions made by the Friends of Syria group to support the struggle of the Syrian people for freedom, in addition to discussing plans to respond to the worsening situation on the ground in Syria.
Akbik stressed the importance of “coordination between the international anti-ISIS coalition and the Free Syrian Army and also the need to accelerate the equipping and training program for the FSA. He also calls for supporting the projects implemented by the donor countries and the interim government aimed at improving the services and relief aid provided to the Syrian people.
Akbik stressed that “ISIS and Assad are two sides of the same coin as they are both committing the same atrocities and terrorist acts against the Syrian people,” pointing out that “achieving a transition of power in Syria is an indispensable part of the solution and as well as of the battle against terrorism.”
The Friends of Syria core group includes, Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, Britain the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
