In an exclusive to the Syrian Coalition Media Office, member of the Syrian Coalition’s political committee, Anas al-Abda, stated that turning over chemical weapons is a big sign of the fall of the Assad regime. Abda pointed out that “the international community is concerned that chemical weapons might fall into the hands of rebels after the overthrow of Assad. Therefore, eliminating those weapons means the time of the regime’s collapse is approaching.”
Abda attributed the hesitancy of the international community to take action against Assad to the fact that “for the international community, the devil it knows is better than the angel it will get to know.”
Abda did not rule out the possibility of a limited military strike if Assad uses, once again, chemical weapons against civilians in Syria. He said that if the US-Russia agreement to force the regime to turn over its chemical weapons stockpile does not include measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter in case of non-compliance by the Assad regime, the agreement will be “meaningless and unacceptable.” In fact, the lack of mechanisms to enforce the agreement will “give a green light for the regime to stall for time and eventually not comply with the agreement,” added Abda.
Moreover, Abda expressed the willingness of the Syrian Coalition to accept a political solution stressing that the ball now is in the regime’s court in terms of Geneva. At the same time, Abda does not expect that the regime will go for a political solution because “it only believes in the language of force and weapons, with which it is killing the Syrian people on a daily basis.”
“Negotiating with the regime in Geneva will aim at determining mechanisms for transition of power in Syria, but not for giving up principles of the revolution,” said Abda. In reference to the latest international developments regarding the Syrian revolution, Abda said: “The international community cannot abandon the pursuit of a political solution even if Geneva fails.”
