A delegation from the Syrian National Coalition (SOC), headed by President Salem Al-Meslet, met with a delegation from the US State Department headed by the US Special Envoy for Syria Ethan Goldrich, at the US Consulate in Istanbul. The two sides discussed the latest field and political developments, especially the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences for Syria.
The SOC’s delegation comprised Vice-president Ruba Habboush, Secretary General Haitham Rahma, and member of the political committee Abdullah Kaddo.
Al-Meslet spoke about the need for the allies of the Syrian people, especially Washington, to reconsider their strategy in Syria. He stressed that inaction in the face of Putin’s crimes in Syria encouraged him to invade a member state of the United Nations.
Al-Meslet stressed that from now on no one can remain silent about the Russian regime’s crimes anywhere in the world. He said that the current developments require that the United States and its allies develop a joint plan to confront Russian ambitions and its violations of international laws and norms.
Al-Meslet also stressed the need to support the SOC’s request to strip the Assad regime of legitimacy and expel its representative from the United Nations and to give Syria’s seat to the SOC as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. He made it clear that the Assad regime is implementing Putin’s orders and using Syria’s seat in the United Nations to serve its interests and those of its Russia ally.
Al-Meslet thanked the United States for hosting the meeting of envoys of friendly and sisterly states in Washington last Friday, stressing that the meeting sent a positive message to the Syrian people despite the world’s preoccupation with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Moreover, Al-Meslet stressed that the SOC is committed to a political solution in accordance with the Geneva Communique of 2012 and UN resolutions, especially Resolutions 2118 and 2254. He added that the UN envoy Geir Pedersen’s proposal for a “step for step” approach is not clearly defined and represents a departure from the implementation of UN Resolution 2254.
Al-Meslet called for stepping up support for the Syrian Interim Government (SOG) as he pointed to the dire humanitarian conditions in the regime-held areas due to rampant corruption.
He also spoke about the dire humanitarian conditions in Tal Abyad in rural al-Raqqa and Ras al-Ayn in rural al-Hasaka, calling for allowing humanitarian organizations to reach those areas and provide aid to those in need.
Al-Meslet stressed the need to press for the release of detainees and disclosing the fate of the forcibly disappeared, especially the female detainees.
For his part, the US envoy reaffirmed his country’s support for the demands of the Syrian people and for reaching a political solution in accordance with UN resolution 2254. He also reaffirmed the US’s commitment to the sanctions it imposed on the Assad regime and its allies.
Mr. Goldrich also talked about the results of the meeting that Washington has recently hosted on Syria. He pointed out that Washington is keen that the upcoming session of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva does not end with the same disappointing results as was the case with the latest session.
Mr. Goldrich pointed out that the world is now preoccupied with the Ukrainian crisis, which he said is still in its beginning, stressing that this crisis will affect the situation in Syria.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
