President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salem Al-Meslet, stressed the need to step up international efforts to advance the political process and activate the track of transitional governance in Syria, stressing that there must be seriousness in raising the Syrian issue. He also stressed the need to put an end to the suffering of the Syrian people, pointing out that the SOC is looking for an end to the tragedy affecting the Syrian people in their entirety, not just those who live in the liberated areas.
Al-Meslet made these remarks during a meeting with the new Dutch envoy to Syria, Gijs Gerlag, at the Dutch Consulate in Istanbul. He was accompanied by Vice-President Abdulahad Astepho, member of the political committee Abdullah Keddo, and member of the General Assembly Dima Moussa.
Al-Meslet thanked the Netherlands for supporting the Syrian people as he congratulated the new Dutch envoy on his position.
The two sides discussed the issue of early recovery, while al-Meslet stressed the importance of not turning early recovery into reconstruction and preventing Russia from exploiting early recovery to lift the sanctions imposed on the Assad regime.
The discussions also touched on the Assad regime’s drug trade and production, which has become the regime’s primary source of revenues by which it feeds its brutal war against the Syrian people, and a tool for normalization of relations with other countries.
For his part, the Dutch envoy reaffirmed his country’s support for the Syrian people and the political process in Syria in accordance with UN Resolution 2254. He also stressed that the Netherlands supports the efforts to ensure accountability in Syria, including the efforts of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism. He pointed out that his country agrees with the European Union with regards to refusing to normalize relations with the Assad regime; lift sanctions, and participate in any process of rebuilding in Syria until a political transition is achieved.
Mr. Gerlag also stressed the importance of showing patience while the sanctions imposed on the Assad regime achieve tangible results that will force it to engage in a political solution.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
