Hisham Marwa: Russia’s Proposal for Ceasefire is a Political Trap

Hisham Marwa, member of the Legal Committee, stresses that “the Syrian Coalition is open to any initiative that aims to end the bloodshed in Syria and meet the aspirations of its people,” expressing outright rejection of any “initiatives aimed at reproducing and rehabilitating the Assad regime.” Marwa’s was commenting on reports circulated by the pro-Assad Al Watan newspaper about a Russian plan to host a meeting between representatives of the Assad regime and a number of opposition figures headed by former president of the Syrian Coalition Moaz al-Khatib who visited Moscow last Friday on the invitation of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Marwa described the Russian proposal as a “political trap,” pointing out that “the Syrian Coalition already has information that the proposed plan for ceasefire is designed to confer legitimacy on Assad who will exploit the plan to go on with his strategy of fear, hunger and blockade he impose on Syrian cities and towns to starve them into subjugation. “We do not doubt the sincere intentions of Moaz al-Khatib who, like almost all the rest of the Syrian opposition, hopes to see an end to the bloodbath. He has not made any mention of Assad staying in power, and has always been adamant about his departure and the installation of a new political leadership not subject to the outside, Marwa stressed. He pointed out that “the Russians will not abandon the Assad regime as a whole, although they may agree to negotiate the departure of its head. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Al Sharq al-Awsat)