Ahmad Tomeh: We Received Promises to Support the Syrian People

Ahmad Tomeh, interim Prime Minister, said his government “has received promises of support for the Syrian people from many friendly countries. The international community, however, is still reluctant to recognize us as legal government, as this means giving Syria’s seat in the United Nations to the Syrian Coalition.” He also points out that the international community’s fears that the formation of the interim government contradicts with the formation of a joint governing body by the regime and the Syrian Coalition in Geneva II talks were dispelled because of the intransigence of the Assad regime and its disrupting of the efforts to reach a political solution. The “Friends of Syria” group has become convinced after the Geneva II conference that of the need to change the military balance on the ground to force the Assad regime to agree to a political solution. They have also felt the need to deliver relief aid to the Syrian people through a functioning government until a political solution is reached. Therefore, some European countries and the United States began discussing how to develop the institutions of the state, how to improve services to the Syrian people, and how to improve the work of the ministries of the interim government.” Furthermore, Tomeh pointed to Britain’s call for him to participate in the Friends of Syria meeting to “raise the needs of interim government that seeks to carry out its duties inside Syria, which requires the presence of military support to protect the government from the bombing of the Assad regime. The interim government is working hard to provide services to the needy people in Syria, to ensure security, stability, the participation of civil society organizations, and the consolidation of the principles of democratic life in the Syrian society. The formation of the interim government was necessary, though it was delayed. And had it been formed at an earlier time, the international community’s dealing with it would have been even on a larger scale.” (Source: Syrian Coalition + Al Arabiya)