Jarba to Visit Washington to Discuss Political Solution

Ahmad Jarba, president of the Syrian Coalition, is going to visit Washington in early May to discuss the prospects for a political solution to the Syrian crisis. The visit comes in the context of recent heated political activity to get back to the negotiating table. Jarba has earlier visited the UAE and China, and plans to visit Saudi Arabia by the end of April. Fayez Sarah, member of the Syrian Coalition, said the delegation to Washington is going to discuss a number of important issues with U.S. officials, particularly the prospects for a political solution. “Despite the failure of Geneva II talks to bring about tangible results, prospects for political solutions still exist. A political solution can only be reached when regional and international players put pressure on the Assad regime and when military balance on the battlefield is achieved,” Sarah said. In a similar vein, members of the political committee, headed by Farouk Tayfur, met with a senior officials of the Foreign Relations Committee in the U.S Congress in Istanbul. Badr Jamous, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, said that the meeting touched on the situation on the ground in Syria, especially in the provinces of Homs and Aleppo, which have been coming under brutal military campaign by regime forces. The meeting also discussed the Assad’s regime breaching of the UN Security Council resolution No. 2139 which demands lifting the siege on the Syrian cities and towns. Jamous also said that the Syrian Coalition called upon the U.S officials to adopt a tougher position to deter the barbarity of Assad regime and to increase military and civilian support for the Syrian revolution.” (Source: Al Hayat)