In an interview with Zaman al-Wasl newspaper, President Khoja said that the fighting groups including the Islamic formations are now to accept the idea of national army and to accept that Syrian identity has the highest priority. “We have held many meetings with the rebel formations inside Syria and we touched changes in their attitudes.”
“We are now trying to find reform the Northern front and connect it to the Southern one under the same military leadership. However, with the latest development and war against terrorism in Northern Syria and clearing some areas from the Islamic State members, I think the priority now is for the united military leadership and forming the nucleus for a National army,” Khoja added.
When asked about the UN envoy Staffan De Mistura’s latest briefing to the UN Security Council, Khoja said, “I think the report De Mistura handed to the Security Council was unfair as he placed revolutionary formations on the same side of the regime. In Geneva II we announced that we were ready to discuss all Geneva II points, but the Syrian regime refused. We told De Mistura that there is no problem for the opposition to attend the Geneva conference but the real problem is finding a force to bring the Assad regime to negotiations, he had no answer.”
“We really want a political solution, but the problem is in the international community as it is unable or does not want to bring the Assad regime to negotiations though UN Security Council resolution 2118 mentioned using force against the side that refuses a political solution.”
With regards to the support by the “friends of the Syrian people group,” Khoja stated that “one of the mistakes toward the Syrian revolution is forming a group of Syrian people’s friend without finding real friends. It was clear that attitudes of some countries of the group were not in the best interest of Syrian people. When they blamed the opposition for its internal disagreement they reflected those dividing among them. From our side, the opposition was clear in its demands, to overthrow the Syrian regime and founding a democratic regime that ensures the rights of minorities without any exclusion. When the differences among the group’s countries increased, they were not able to continue.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
