The joint delegation of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) and the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC) to the United States met with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. They discussed the latest developments on the ground and in the political process.
The meeting brought together SOC’s President Salem al-Meslet, SNC’s President Anas Abdah, the SOC’s Vice-president Ruba Habboush, member of the SOC’s political committee, and Head of the SNC’s Foreign Relations Office Badr Jamous, and SNC member Ibrahim Berro.
Al-Meslet spoke about the dire conditions that Syrian civilians are suffering everywhere in Syria due to the atrocious crimes that the Assad regime and its backers are committing in Dara’a and Idlib, as well as the terrorist acts that the PKK terrorist organization is committing in northeastern Syria.
Al-Meslet stressed that the Syrian crisis cannot be reduced to a humanitarian issue, pointing to the need to revitalize the political track and the important role of the UN in implementing all its resolutions on Syria, most importantly the Geneva Communique of 2012 and UN Resolutions 2118 and 2254.
Moreover, Al-Meslet made it clear that the Assad regime and Russia continue to obstruct the political process and prevent reaching a political solution by insisting on pursuing a bloody military solution.
He also spoke about the problem of obtaining personal documents by Syrians. He explained how the Assad regime denies Syrians these documents or restricts their issuance in order to extort huge sums of money from Syrians. He called on the UN to take concrete measures in this regard and to treat Syrians like the Palestinians by providing them with temporary UN documents.
Abdah raised the issue of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons, stressing that this issue “affects every Syrian household.” He called on the UN Secretary-General to undertake an initiative in this regard.
Abdah stressed that the political process will lack legitimacy and meaning as long as detainees are not released, the fate of the forcibly disappeared is not disclosed, and those whose hands are stained with Syrians’ blood are not held accountable.
Abdah questioned the viability of the political process in view of the fact that UN Resolution 2254 has not been implemented since it was issued five and a half years ago. He called on the UN and the international community to support the aspirations of the Syrian people, implement Resolution 2254 in its entirety, and activate all its baskets to advance the political process.
Furthermore, Abdah stressed that the Syrian IDPs and refugees yearn to voluntarily return to their homes with dignity, and under the umbrella of a political solution that guarantees all their rights away from the rule of the Assad regime.
Abdah also stressed the need to prevent any attempt to normalize relations with the Assad regime, maintain pressure on it and its backers, and maintain sanctions that exclude humanitarian aid and everything related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
