The delegation of the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) which is visiting the United States stressed the need to resume the Geneva negotiations and overcome the obstacles being put by the Assad regime in the way of political process.
The delegation on Thursday met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, Oman’s Foreign Minister Yousuf bin Alawi, Denmark’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Anders Samuelsen, Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, and the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura.
During his meeting with De Mistura, Hijab stressed the need for the UN mediator to adopt new approaches to overcome the main obstacles to the political process. He said that chief among these obstacles are the intransigence of the Assad regime, its refusal to cooperate with the UN efforts, its persistence in committing crimes against the Syrian people, and its insistence on resolving the conflict through mass forced displacement and the fueling of sectarian tensions.
Hijab warned of attempts by some forces with expansionist ambitions to discredit the HNC and use the political process as a means to help Bashar Al-Assad restore the legitimacy he lost due to his use of chemical weapons and other internationally prohibited weapons against Syria’s civilians.
Hijab also warned of the dangers of bowing to the pressure being exerted by Bashar al-Assad’s allies who are seeking to influence the UN mediation efforts and pushing for ignoring the key issues relating to the political process, most importantly the issues of detainees, transitional justice, and accountability for crimes against the Syrian people.
The HNC delegation is accompanied by members of the Coalition’s political committee in Badr Jamous, member of the Coalition’s General Assembly Abdul Hakim Bashar, and head of the Coalition’s foreign mission in Washington Najib Ghadbian. The delegation’s visit came on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
